Check Point Software Technologies, a provider of AI-powered cyber security solutions, has revealed that eight African countries are among the top 20 countries targeted by cybercriminals, according to its Global Threat Index for March 2024.
Check Point Reports Eight African Countries Among Top Targets
The countries most heavily targeted by cybercriminals in Africa are Ethiopia (2nd), Zimbabwe (3rd), Maldives (4th), Kenya (7th), Uganda (8th), Angola (11th), Morocco (17th), and Nigeria (20th). Notably, South Africa has dropped eight places and now ranks 64th on the list.
The report identifies the top three malware families affecting Africa as FakeUpdates, Qbot, and Formbook. FakeUpdates, a JavaScript downloader known as SocGholish, has an average global impact of 6.47%, reaching 8.55% in South Africa and 29.73% in Nigeria.
Qbot, a multipurpose malware targeting credential theft and additional malware deployment, impacts 3% in South Africa, 6.7% in Nigeria, and a staggering 40% in Zimbabwe.
Formbook, an infostealer targeting Windows OS, has an average global impact of 2.43%.
Check Point’s recent investigations have uncovered cybercriminals’ use of Virtual Hard Disk files to distribute Remcos, a remote access Trojan (RAT), bypassing conventional security protocols.
Following Law Enforcement Intervention
Remcos, repurposed by threat actors for malicious activities including data exfiltration and keystroke logging, rose to the fourth position on the top malware list in March.
Despite a decrease in activity following law enforcement intervention, Lockbit3 remains the most prevalent ransomware group. The UK’s National Crime Agency disrupted LockBit’s operations, describing it as the world’s most harmful cybercrime group.
Maya Horowitz, VP of Research at Check Point Software, emphasizes the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures for organizations to combat evolving threats, including robust endpoint protection and comprehensive employee training.
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