• Tuesday, November 05, 2024
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Nigeria is Africa’s third most vulnerable country to cyber attacks

The ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats has brought forth a concerning trend, placing African nations in the crosshairs of hackers. Nigeria is the third most vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

The recent findings from Check Point Software Technologies shed light on the top 10 African countries most vulnerable to cyber threats, particularly those utilizing Remote Access Trojans (RATs).

Market Impact

The ramifications of this trend are palpable in various markets, with Ukraine witnessing a decline in food exports to Africa and Asia due to disruptions in the Black Sea ports. Concurrently, Nigeria’s official market experienced a historic low, with the naira plummeting to N1,105 per dollar.

Environmental sustainability rankings

Amidst these challenges, South Africa emerges as a beacon of environmental sustainability, outpacing Nigeria and Kenya in rankings.

Check Point software technologies report

Recent insights from Check Point Software Technologies underscore the severity of cyber threats in Africa. Countries like Mauritius, Nigeria, Morocco, and Kenya are in the crosshairs of targeted attacks.

Rise of remote access trojans (RATs)

The primary weapon of choice for these cyber threats is the use of Remote Access Trojans, malicious tools enabling hackers to gain remote control over compromised systems.

AgentTesla and Mal-Spam campaign

AgentTesla, a sophisticated RAT, takes centre stage, propelled by a new mal-spam campaign that cleverly uses corrupted email attachments. This campaign particularly targets the vulnerable education sector.

Education sector vulnerability

The report highlights the ongoing vulnerability of the education sector to cyberattacks, making it a prime target for malicious actors.

Read alsoTech firm launches campaign to protect Nigerians against cyber fraud

Uptick in cyber threats (October 2023)

October 2023 witnesses a significant uptick in cyber threats across government agencies and organizations in the Middle East and Africa.

Weapon of choice: RATs

Remote Access Trojans, or RATs, emerge as the primary weapon in the arsenal of hackers seeking remote control over compromised systems.

AgentTesla and NJRat threats

Among the highlighted threats, AgentTesla and NJRat take center stage, both propelled by a complex mal-spam campaign using corrupted email attachments.

AgentTesla’s deceptive tactics

AgentTesla employs cunning tactics, disguising itself within archive files with a malicious Microsoft Compiled HTML Help (.CHM) extension. These files often masquerade as routine order and shipment documents, finding their way into victims’ systems through seemingly innocent email attachments.

NJRat’s diverse capabilities

NJRat, another prominent player in the cyber threat landscape, boasts a range of capabilities, including keystroke capture, unauthorized camera access, credential theft from browsers, file uploads and downloads, process and file manipulations, and desktop surveillance.

Geographical impact of NJRat

The impact of NJRat is particularly notable in South Africa, where its prevalence hovers just above 2%, while Morocco experiences a higher incidence at 8%. There is a notable focus on governmental organizations in the Middle East.

Top 10 vulnerable African countries

Country        Index Global Rank
Ethiopia                 4th
Mauritius               6th
Nigeria                 11th
Morocco              15th
Uganda              22nd
Kenya                 25th
Angola                27th
Zambia               28th
Ghana                30th
South Africa     55th

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