Kenya is becoming a hotspot for cyberattacks in Africa, a Kaspersky representative has revealed.
According to the computer security firm, phishing attacks detected in Kenya in Q3 2023 increased by 32% compared to Q2 2023 and by 12% compared to Q3 2022.
Phishing attacks are a form of cyber attack where attackers use deceptive tactics to trick individuals into divulging sensitive information such as login credentials, financial details, or personal information.
Kenya also represented 12% of the detected attacks on Internet of Things (IoT) devices within the African region during the same period. Kaspersky also noted that attacks were detected on 32% of Industrial Control System (ICS) computers in Africa.
Specifically in Kenya, attacks were detected on 28% of ICS machines. On a global scale, malicious objects were identified on 25% of ICS machines during the same period. Industrial Control Systems are critical systems used to monitor and control industrial processes, and attacks on these systems can have serious consequences making their security a significant concern.
“In forecasting the development of the cyberthreat landscape for 2024, we anticipate a dynamic evolution of cyber threats marked by an upsurge in state-sponsored cyber-attacks, and ‘hacktivism’ will become one of the norms of cyber-warfare,” said Bethwel Opil, Enterprise Client Lead at Kaspersky in Africa.
“The prevalence of accessible generative AI is set to fuel an expansion of spear-phishing tactics, while the creative exploitation of vulnerabilities in mobile and IoT devices will be on the rise. Businesses today should be proactive and counter these cyber threats with advanced technologies such as threat feeds, security information and event management systems, endpoint detection and response solutions, and tools with digital forensics and incident response features.”
Kaspersky has recommended more robust security measures, particularly for organizations. These include regular cyber skill checkups for employees, regular software updates, and the use of a dedicated IoT gateways that ensure inbuilt security and reliability of data transfer.
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