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General News

How COVID-19 Awareness Campaign Earned ID Africa Global SABRE Recognition

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ID Africa, a pan-African communications advisory firm, has made its debut on the global public relations and communications awards table, with a prestigious nomination at the forthcoming SABRE Awards EMEA as well as a certificate of recognition at the SABRE Awards Africa.

Femi Falodun, CEO, ID Africa,

The acknowledgements were earned for the firm’s work on the 2021 CSR campaign, Project SafeUp, executed for My World of Bags (MWOB) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

ID Africa was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in the ‘Not for Profit/Charities’ category alongside four other nominees from Kenya, South Africa and Uganda at the SABRE Awards Africa.

It also received its first SABRE Awards EMEA nomination in the category ‘Africa’ in the company’s first-ever EMEA SABRE entry.

Project SafeUp, an initiative of luxury design and manufacturing company, My World of Bags (MWOB) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, provided 1.5 million PPE materials across South-West Nigeria between 2020 and 2021. ID Africa provided communications strategy, and execution support building awareness and interest through creative storytelling at community level, as well as using local advocates and electronic mass media.

Femi Falodun, CEO, ID Africa, said, “The SABRE Awards puts a spotlight on the industry’s most compelling work, especially communication programmes that drive real social and business impact. So, it is an honour to be recognised for the work we do at ID Africa.

“We have spent the past seven years developing a unique approach to communications, and we are truly delighted to be taking this model to new markets as we expand across Africa. Our mission remains to help individuals, brands, businesses, and governments understand and connect better with the people they care about.”

The campaign achieved over 300 mentions in 60 days on print, online, social media and radio platforms across the country. And had a staggering online readership of over 100 million users, with 26 indigenous radio content and presenter sessions reaching an estimated 2 million in Lagos and Osun state over the course of a month.

The SABRE Awards Africa, which recognises Superior Achievement in Branding, Reputation, and Engagement, will be announced at the Africa SABRE award ceremony on May 25, as part of the 2022 African Public Relations Conference.

While the 2022 SABRE Awards EMEA shortlist includes over 400 campaigns, selected from among more than 2,000 entries in this year’s competition and are evaluated by a jury of industry leaders. The 18th edition of the SABRE Awards EMEA will take place at The Guildhall in London on May 27th.

 

 


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

General News

Cybervergent Selected as World Economic Forum’s 2025 Technology Pioneer Company

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In affirmation of its global standing, Cybervergent, a Pan-African technology company that leverages artificial intelligence to transform how organisations manage risk, governance, privacy, and cybersecurity, has been selected as one of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Technology Pioneers for 2025—a global cohort spotlighting companies transforming industries through breakthrough technologies and responsible innovation.

The WEF, an international organisation committed to improving the state of the world through public-private collaboration, brings together global leaders to shape economic, technological, and societal agendas. Cybervergent now joins this global community.

The company is recognized for its innovative approach to building digital trust, reimagining how organisations manage cybersecurity, risk, privacy and governance.

Commenting on the company’s milestone, Adetokunbo Omotosho, CEO of Cybervergent, said, “I am honoured that Cybervergent has been named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum. This is more than an accolade — it’s a validation of our commitment to redefining cybersecurity, privacy, and risk management to build true digital trust.

“What makes this recognition even more meaningful is the fact that Cybervergent demonstrates innovation in AI and infrastructure can emerge from any region, challenging conventional perceptions.”

Some past recipients of the Technology Pioneer recognition, including Google, Spotify, and Airbnb have gone on to fundamentally reshape global industries.

As a member of the 2025 Technology Pioneers community, Cybervergent will be contributing to discussions shaping cybersecurity, AI, and cyber resilience across industries and the global digital economy.


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Moove Plans to Raise $1.2Bn Debt Round for US Autonomous Vehicle Expansion

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Moove, an African mobility fintech startup, is on a quest to secure a $1.2 billion debt financing round to support the rollout of a fleet of autonomous vehicles.

This is in partnership with Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo in the United States, according to a Bloomberg report citing sources familiar with the matter.

The startup has since attracted backing, including from Uber Technologies Inc., and entered a strategic partnership with Waymo in December 2024 to provide financing for self-driving cars.

Ladi Delano, co-founder of Moove, noted that the company has a solid financial track record.

“Moove has built strong relationships with some of the world’s leading lenders. We have also fully repaid our first-ever debt facilities, which signals our maturity and marks a key milestone that demonstrates the strength of our platform as we enter the next phase of global autonomous-vehicle infrastructure deployment,” he said.

The round is reportedly oversubscribed, with strong participation from private credit firms and banks.

Waymo has also not made any official statement regarding the funding round. While final details are expected to be concluded in the coming weeks, the deal will mark a significant milestone for the firm as it ramps up its global ambitions.

Founded in 2020 by Nigerian entrepreneurs, Ladi Delano and Jide Odunsi, Moove began by providing vehicle financing for ride-hailing drivers in Africa’s largest cities.

 


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Firm Explores the Evolution of AI-powered Ransomware with Password-gated Capabilities

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Kaspersky experts have revealed the inner workings of FunkSec — a ransomware group that illustrates the future of mass cybercrime: AI-powered, multifunctional, highly adaptive and operating on volume with ransoms as low as $10,000 to maximise profits.

Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) constantly monitors the ransomware threat landscape, where attacks continue to rise. According to the company’s latest State of Ransomware report, the share of users affected by ransomware attacks worldwide increased to 0.44% from 2023 to 2024, up by 0.02 percentage points.

While this percentage may appear modest compared to other cyber threats, it reflects the fact that attackers typically prioritise high-value targets rather than mass distribution, making each incident potentially devastating. Within this evolving landscape, FunkSec has emerged as a particularly concerning threat.

Active for less than a year since its emergence in late 2024, FunkSec has quickly surpassed many established actors by targeting government, technology, finance and education sectors. What sets FunkSec apart is its sophisticated technical architecture and AI-assisted development.

The group packages full-scale encryption and aggressive data exfiltration into a single Rust-based executable, capable of disabling over 50 processes on victim machines and equipped with self-cleanup features to evade defenses.

Beyond its core ransomware functionality, FunkSec has expanded its toolkit to include a password generator and a basic DDoS tool — both showing clear signs of code synthesis using large language models (LLMs).

FunkSec’s approach reflects the evolving landscape of mass cybercrime, combining advanced tools and tactics. Kaspersky’s GReAT experts highlight the key features that define their operations:

Password-Controlled functionality

GReAT experts discovered that FunkSec ransomware features a unique password-based mechanism that controls its operation modes. Without a password, the malware performs basic file encryption, while providing a password activates a more aggressive data exfiltration process in addition to encryption to steal sensitive data.

FunkSec packs full-scale encryption, local exfiltration and self-cleanup into a single Rust binary—without a side-loader or a companion script. That level of consolidation is uncommon and gives affiliates a plug-and-play tool they can deploy almost anywhere.

Use of AI in development

Code analysis shows that FunkSec is actively using generative artificial intelligence to create its tools. Many parts of the code seem to be automatically generated rather than manually written. Signs of this generic placeholder comments (such as “placeholder for actual check”) and technical inconsistencies, like commands for different operating systems that don’t align properly. Additionally, the presence of declared but unused functions—such as modules included upfront but never utilised — reflects how large language models combine multiple code snippets without pruning redundant elements.

“More and more, we see cybercriminals leveraging AI to develop malicious tools. Generative AI lowers barriers and accelerates malware creation, enabling cybercriminals to adapt their tactics faster.

By reducing the entry threshold, AI allows even less experienced attackers to quickly develop sophisticated malware at scale,” comments Marc Rivero, Lead Security Researcher at Kaspersky’s GReAT.

High-volume, low-ransom strategy

FunkSec demands unusually low ransom payments, sometimes as little as $10,000, and pairs this with the sale of stolen data at discounted prices to third parties. This strategy appears designed to enable a high volume of attacks, helping the group quickly establish its reputation within the cybercriminal underground. Unlike traditional ransomware groups that seek million-dollar ransoms, FunkSec employs a high-frequency, low-cost model — further underscoring its use of AI to streamline and scale operations.

Expands beyond ransomware

FunkSec has expanded its capabilities beyond the ransomware binary. Its dark leak site (DLS) hosts additional tools, including a Python-based password generator designed to support brute-force and password-spraying attacks, as well as a basic DDoS tool.

Advanced evasion

FunkSec employs advanced evasion techniques to avoid detection and complicate forensic analysis. The ransomware is capable of stopping over 50 processes and services to ensure thorough encryption of targeted files. Additionally, it includes a fallback mechanism to execute certain commands even if the user launching FunkSec lacks sufficient privileges.

 


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