Ethiopia is the most targeted country in Africa for cyber crime and ranks second globally, according to the June 2024 Global Threat Index by Check Point, which evaluated 112 countries.
Other African nations also feature prominently on the list, with Zimbabwe ranking third globally, Angola sixth, and Kenya ninth. In total, seven African countries are among the top 20 most attacked. Despite being the continent's largest economy, South Africa ranks 61st, while Egypt is the least attacked African country surveyed.
Check Point’s findings emphasize the urgent need for enhanced cyber security measures across African businesses and organizations. The report highlights that, despite efforts to strengthen defenses, the rapidly evolving threat landscape remains a significant risk.
In June 2024, the leading malware families affecting Africa included Phorpiex, known for its large-scale spam campaigns, which was particularly active in Mozambique, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. Expiro, a polymorphic file infector, compromised data integrity across Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Qbot, a multifunctional malware, facilitated credential theft, ransomware delivery, and backdoor access, posing significant threats to organizations in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Lastly, FakeUpdates (SocGholish), a downloader malware, led to further infections by deploying additional malware strains, including ransomware, in South Africa and Nigeria.
Government agencies, the military, financial institutions, utilities, communications, and education/research sectors have been the most targeted by these cyber threats.
Issam El Haddaoui, engineering manager for Africa at Check Point Security, stressed the need for African organizations to adopt a proactive approach to cyber security. "Leveraging advanced threat intelligence, robust defense mechanisms, and comprehensive incident response plans are essential steps to mitigate the risks posed by cyber threats," he stated
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