Africa’s vulnerability to cyber threats is more than ever, as shown in the December 2024 Global Threat Index released by cybersecurity provider Check Point Software Technologies.
The report revealed that eight African countries were ranked among the top 20 most attacked nations worldwide, with Nigeria placing 13th.
Ethiopia led the African rankings, topping the global list with a Normalised Risk Index of 98.2%, while Uganda, Angola, and Ghana secured the 8th, 9th, and 11th spots, respectively.
Nigeria followed closely with a Normalised Risk Index of 62.3%. Other African countries on the list included Kenya (17th), Mozambique (18th), and Côte d’Ivoire (20th).
The African continent is being targeted for its growth in digital technology leverage, with cybercriminals using sophisticated tactics like artificial intelligence (AI)-driven ransomware.
One of the major groups in December was FunkSec, a new ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) group responsible for 14% of all reported ransomware attacks that month.
FunkSec’s growth has been linked to its AI-powered double-extortion techniques, where stolen data is both encrypted and held for ransom. Although many of FunkSec’s victim reports were questioned for authenticity, the group’s rise poses a huge threat to global cybersecurity.
In addition to FunkSec, other malware families such as FakeUpdates and AgentTesla were also disturbing threats in December. FakeUpdates impacted 5% of organisations globally, while AgentTesla used keylogging and credential theft to target 3% of businesses.
Mobile devices were not spared, with banking Trojans like Anubis and Necro exploiting vulnerabilities to steal credentials and install malicious software.
The growing sophistication of cyberattacks reiterates the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures. Maya Horowitz, vice president of Research at Check Point, emphasised that organisations must stay ahead of these threats by adopting advanced security tools to defend against AI-powered ransomware and other emerging risks.
Cybercriminals are targeting high-value systems and using sophisticated encryption methods to extort businesses.
Hence, organisations must focus on building stronger defences against ransomware groups, including RansomHub and LeakeData, as mentioned in the global threat index report, strengthening their security strategies to mitigate the risks caused by these evolving threats.
