Hackers believed from Asia are gearing for a massive cyber-attacks targeting companies, including banks and government agencies in Nigeria, according to experts.
This is coming as security teams around the world pay close attention to cyber threats in Ukraine, where some of the most destructive hacks in history have originated.
Recall that Malware dubbed “NotPetya” hit Ukraine in June 2017, taking down government agencies and businesses before spreading to corporate networks around the globe, causing companies billions of dollars in losses.
But cyber security experts in Nigeria have also warned that the country may be vulnerable to cyber attacks due to the highly integrated nature of ICT into activities of both the private and public sector.
This was among fears expressed at the cyber security and economic development workshop organised by the Nigerian institute of International Affairs in Abuja recently,
Earlier this year, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) alerted Nigerians, especially the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), other government establishments, and the organised private sector to the potential cyber-attacks likely to be experienced this year as well as the precautionary measures to be taken.
Elsewhere, Check Point Software Technologies Limited, said that cyber-criminals are more likely to probe known vulnerabilities in the hope that organizations have not acted to remediate them, as they are to develop new attack vectors.
“They will always look for the easiest way in to a network,” Maya Horowitz, Threat Intelligence Group Manager at Check Point said.
In Nigeria, cyber security experts worry about the dearth of skilled human capital in the fight against cyber- attacks in Nigeria which has only 1800 professional in that space.
Oluseyi Akindeinde, chief technical officer, Digital Encode, expressed worries that Nigeria’s case in respect of skilled human resources to fight cyber-attack is very bad.
Nodding in agreement, William Makatiani, managing director, Serianu, “our research shows that Africa has around 10,000 cyber security professionals and a total of 1800 in Nigeria. This is alarming and dangerous particularly for organizations in Nigeria and Africa.
“The real impact of these low numbers was felt at the height of last year’s Ransomware attacks where we did not have enough professionals to serve organizations.
Many cyber security professionals were contracted by established companies leaving the SMEs particularly vulnerable.