Nigeria’s cyber risk index falls as defences strengthen

Nigeria ranked 19th on the list of top 20 countries attacked by malware in November 2024, according to Check Point.

The cybersecurity platform noted that the country had a normalised risk index of 56.9 percent, better than the 61.9 percent recorded in August when it ranked 14th globally. Despite this, African countries are the most targeted by malware attacks. Seven of the top 20 countries attacked in November were on the continent.

According to the report, Ethiopia was the most attacked country of the 107 surveyed. Zimbabwe ranked 4th with an 82.8 percent normalised risk index, Uganda was 9th, and Angola was 10th, with risk indexes of 67.8 and 67.5 percent, respectively. Ghana was 13th with a risk index of 62 percent, Mozambique was 17th with 58.3 percent, and Kenya was 20th with 55.8 percent. South Africa moved down the rankings to 67th with a Normalised Risk Index of 39.1 percent.

Check Point highlighted that Androxgh0st was the top malware family leading the malware attacks targeting devices and critical infrastructure. It is followed by FakeUpdates, AgentTesla, Formbook, and Remcos, among others.

“Researchers have discovered that Androxgh0st, now at the top of the malware rankings, is exploiting vulnerabilities across multiple platforms, including IoT devices and web servers, key components of critical infrastructure,” the firm said.

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Critical infrastructure, including energy grids, transportation systems, healthcare networks, and more, remains a prime target for cybercriminals due to its indispensable role in daily life and vulnerabilities. Disrupting these systems can lead to widespread chaos, financial losses, and even threats to public safety.

Joker remains the most prevalent among the top mobile malware threats, followed by Anubis and Necro. Joker continues to steal SMS messages, contacts, and device information while silently subscribing victims to premium services. Meanwhile, Anubis, a banking Trojan, has gained new features, including remote access, keylogging, and ransomware functionality.

Maya Horowitz, VP of Research at Check Point Software, said, “The rise of Androxgh0st and the integration of Mozi illustrates how cyber criminals are constantly evolving their tactics. Organisations must adapt quickly and implement robust security measures that can identify and neutralise these advanced threats before they can cause significant damage.

Education and research remained the most attacked industries globally, followed by communications and government and military.