Password-stealing malware attacks rise by 146.65% in Nigeria

Kaspersky, a cybersecurity firm, says the number of password-stealing malware attacks it detected in the first four months of 2022 rose by 146.56 per cent.

According to the firm, the number rose from 1,076 detections between January and April 2021 to 2,654 detections within the same period of 2022. These attacks enable hackers to steal passwords and account information, giving them access to corporate networks and sensitive information.

The statement read in part, “In 2022, the number of Trojan-PSW (Password Stealing Ware) detections in Nigeria more than doubled when compared to the same period in 2021 – 2,654 detections in 2022 compared to 1,076 in 2021.

“Trojan-PSW is a malware that steals passwords, along with other account information, which then allows attackers to gain access to the corporate network and steal sensitive information.”

The firm further disclosed that small businesses in Nigeria suffered up to 55,836 internet attacks within the period under review in 2022.

“Another popular attack tool used on small businesses is Internet attacks, specifically, web pages with redirects to exploits, sites containing exploits and other malicious programs, botnet C&C centers, etc.

“While the number of these attacks decreased in the first four months of 2022 in Nigeria (56,836 infections in 2022 compared to 99,146 infections in 2021), Internet attacks are still a concern and need to be protected against,” it said.

The firm also said that the remote working network of some businesses in Nigeria suffered attacks, which rose by 89 per cent in the first four months of 2022.

The statement added, “With the shift towards remote working, many companies have introduced the Remote Desktop Protocol, a technology that enables computers on the same corporate network to be linked together and accessed remotely, even when the employees are at home.

“The number of attacks on RDP has increased significantly in Nigeria, by 89 per cent. In the first four months of 2021, there were 161,000 RDP attacks detected and blocked by Kaspersky in the country. For the same period in 2022 the number has risen to 303,500 attacks.”

Kaspersky urged businesses to deploy certain data protection measures, which would protect them against cyber attacks.