In conjunction with the company’s involvement in the GITEX Africa conference happening in Morocco from April 14-16, 2025, Kaspersky plans to discuss the current trends in cyber threats across the African continent based on the most recent anonymized information provided by the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN).
Between 2023 and 2024, African enterprises faced various cyber threats such as web-based risks, device-specific hazards, and breaches aimed at stealing information, encompassing malware like spyware and tools designed to capture passwords.
In 2024, phishing and ransomware remain substantial risks in the area, with Kaspersky reporting approximately 66 million instances of phishing link clicks within Africa. This includes more than 14.8 million occurrences among business users.
Web-based threats, or online threats, are a category of cybersecurity risks that may cause an undesirable event or action affecting users browsing the Internet.
According to Kaspersky data, there were 131 580 587 web threats detected in 2024 in the African region, including almost 20 million attack attempts in Kenya, almost 17 million in South Africa, and 12.6 million in Morocco. Businesses were targeted by web threats more often in 2024 than in 2023, with threat detections increasing by 1.2%.
On-device threats encompass malware distributed through portable storage devices like USB sticks, as well as CDs and DVDs. These dangers also incorporate malicious software that first enters the system in concealed formats, such as within intricate installation packages or inside encrypted files.
Based on data from Kaspersky’s telemetry, local threat detections within devices at organizations across the African continent rose by 4% in 2024 when compared with those recorded in 2023. Notable increases in such localized threats among businesses were observed in Nigeria, which experienced an upsurge of 169%, followed by Ethiopia with an 86% rise, South Africa with a 32% hike, Senegal with an 11% jump, and Morocco with a 9% escalation.
A surge in threats concerning data theft has been observed. Data provided by Kaspersky indicates a 14% increase in the detection of spyware attacks targeting businesses within the African region from 2023 to 2024.
Spyware can be covertly installed on a user’s computer to track their activities and gather personal information. Additionally, there has been a 26% rise in the detection of password stealing malware. These malicious programs are specifically created to capture usernames, passwords, and other confidential details.
Our data indicates a rise in detected attacks across various forms of cyber threats, with multiple elements contributing to this growth. Within the business-to-business domain, the ongoing transition towards mixed working environments along with rapid digitalization efforts—sometimes progressing faster than cybersecurity enhancements—could render African enterprises vulnerable to sophisticated long-term assaults.
“In the realm of business-to-consumer markets, the surge in digital financial services, alongside low levels of digital literacy among people, has made them easy prey for malicious cyber-attacks,” notes Maher Yamout, who leads cybersecurity research at Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team.
African organizations ought to emphasize a cohesive strategy through improved cooperation, increased investment in specialized cybersecurity education, and fostering digital literacy to adequately address the escalating threat of cybercrimes. Programs such as the African Cyber Surge initiative along with focused educational efforts can act as models for establishing a robust digital environment throughout the region.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
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