Malware attacks in Kenya fall 29 per cent in the year

Cyber attack

According to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, ordinary malware threats can longer fly under security radars.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky said ordinary malware threats are no longer effective and cannot fly under security radars.
  • The firm said anomalous spyware attacks pose a new level of threat as they use the victim’s device to spread the spyware.

Malware attacks in Kenya have fallen 28.6 per cent this year attributed to introduction of new cybercrime fighting models, says a new study.

It said incidents fell 7.5 per cent and 12 per cent in Nigeria and South Africa respectively, noting, self-propagating malware attacks have reduced dramatically because of enhanced security measures.

Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky said ordinary malware threats are no longer effective and cannot fly under security radars but warned the region will see growth of new models.

This indicates that mass scale attacks are not disappearing but rather mutating.

“The reason for the change was the introduction and popularisation of new cybercrime models in the region, with cybercrime tools becoming more targeted along with running trend where malware creators rely not on the technical advantage of their technologies over security protection, but on the human factor,” Kaspersky said.

It said that this has involved phishing schemes this year with an increased wave of anomalous spyware attacks.

The firm said anomalous spyware attacks pose a new level of threat as they use the victim’s device to spread the spyware.