According to the latest data from the Kaspersky Security Network, the African countries are experiencing an increasing prevalence of cyber threats. Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa are prominently ranked in the global top 100 for online threats, with Kenya ranked 35th, Nigeria 50th and South Africa 82nd.
In the first quarter of 2023, Kaspersky reported that South Africa experienced the highest number of backdoor and spyware attacks, with 106.000 attempted attacks. Nigeria found 46.000 similar attacks, while Kenya saw a peak of 143.000 such attacks.
Exploits emerged as the dominant form of attack in Kenya, with 177.000 incidents blocked. Furthermore, Kaspersky highlighted the growing number of zombie machines, being connected devices that become part of a botnet. South Africa detected 1,6 million zombie machines, while Kenya identified 300.000.
The Doctor. Amin Hasbini, Head of Kaspersky's Global Investigation and Analysis Team, underlined that criminal attacks are primarily aimed at financial gain, while advanced attacks demonstrate the ability of cyber threat actors to adapt and breach security measures. Hasbini expressed concern that cybercriminals are learning from successful advanced attacks and honing their techniques accordingly.
To counter these increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, Kaspersky recommended that companies adopt a multi-layered defensive strategy to improve their security posture. This approach can help mitigate risks and safeguard critical infrastructure, financial institutions, government entities and service providers, which are prime targets for cyberattacks.
