E-Business
The Evolving Threat Landscape: Top Cybercrime Trends Organisations Should Take Note of in 2023
By Emmanuel Asika
The cyber threat landscape continued to evolve last year, with malevolent players joining forces more than ever before, exchanging access to networks and systems, sharing malware and sharpening their attack methods.
Such heightened collaboration, coupled with the low cost of malware – three-quarters of malware kits cost less than ₦7,000 – are further triggering cybercrime to be more accessible.
The implication being that more devices and end-users will be vulnerable to being under attack in 2023, and as cyber criminals intensify attempts to access enterprises – these systems, PCs and printers will be at the forefront.
These challenges, for cyber-security experts, will be intensified by the growing economic slump and uncertainties. As cybersecurity spending is set to increase by 13.2% in 2023, cost projections will be under critical observation, with emphasis on the most important cybersecurity demands.
With tough impending decisions, below are four cybersecurity trends that institutions must plan for in 2023:
- Increasing costs can prompt an inflow of cyber hustlers and money mules, powering the cybercrime economy and leaving users at risk
The increase in the cybercrime gig economy, with its swing to platform-based business models, has made cybercrime simpler, affordable, and more dynamic.
Cybercrime devices and mentoring services are readily available at low costs, luring cyber hustlers – adherents with little technical skill – to access needed information to make gains.
With an impending global downturn, easy access to cybercrime tools and skills could enhance the number of scam SMS messages and emails filling our inboxes.
Lured by the potential of quick money, there is a likelihood of seeing more recruits into money-muling schemes, unintentionally encouraging the cybercrime ecosystem as enablers of fraudulent transactions, money laundering, and perhaps ransoms payments.
The interrelated nature of the cybercrime gig economy means that threat actors can easily make money from email compromise attacks.
If they find a victim and succeed by compromising an enterprise device, they can market that access to bigger ransomware gangs. This gives structured groups of hackers more reach, hence feeding into the cybercrime ecosystem.
With increasing attacks against users, embedding security in all devices from the hardware will be significant to prevent, detect and recover from attacks.
Adopting a robust security culture is key for building resilience, however, only when combined with technology that decreases an organization’s attack interface. A whole group of threats can be eradicated without relying on detection by isolating risky activities like malicious emails.
Threat containment technologies in this case ensure that if a user opens a malicious link or attachment, the malware can’t infect any data. With this model, businesses reduce the propensity of malicious attacks and protect employee interests without compromising their workflows.
- Notorious hackers will invest in more attacks below the operating system.
Until recently, firmware attacks were only used by sophisticated threat groups and countries.
However, just last year, early signs revealed an increased interest and development of attacks below the operating system – from tools to hack BIOS passwords, to rootkits and trojans targeting device’s firmware. Today, we now see firmware rootkits advertised relatively cheaply on cybercrime marketplaces.
As one would expect, sophisticated threat actors are always looking to stay one step ahead in terms of their attack capabilities. Unfortunately, firmware security is frequently disregarded by organizations, giving room for adversaries to attack and exploit.
Access to the firmware level allows attackers to gain persistent control and hide below the operating system, making them very hard to detect – let alone remove and remediate.
As such, organizations and individuals must ensure they understand industry best practices and standards for device hardware and firmware security.
Additionally, organizations must further endeavour to understand and evaluate the latest technology readily available to protect, detect and recover from firmware attacks.
- Remote access equipment will be on the forefront for attacks
Session hijacking is anticipated. The year will witness a growth in popularity – where an attacker hijacks a remote access session to obtain an organisation’s sensitive data and systems.
The user is characteristically unsuspecting that anything malicious has happened and takes milliseconds to inject key sequences and issue commands that generate an alternative gateway for persistent access.
It works even if Privileged Access Management (PAM) systems employ Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), such as smart cards.
When a malicious attack links to Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) running factories and industrial plants, there could also be a noticeable impact on operational readiness and safety – possibly cutting off access to energy or communication for entire areas.
The only way of preventing these kinds of attacks is breaking the attack chain and strong isolation technology, either through using a physically separate system, like a Privileged Access Workstation (PAW), or virtual separation, via hypervisor-based approaches.
- Neglect print security at your risk in 2023
Presently, print security is endangered by the constant tendency to be a neglected factor of the total cybersecurity environment and with more printers connected to corporate networks due to hybrid working, the risks keep increasing. Institutions need to structure security policies and processes for monitoring and protecting print gadgets from attacks, at home and in the workplace.
The challenge is the risk telemetry coming from end points, including printers, is growing by the day. Consequently, we will see institutions concentrate investments on solutions and services delivery that provide functional intelligence rather than merely delivering more security data.
Tackling increasing threats
This year, organisations must be intentional with their security approaches. Often, security glitches start at the endpoint, hence, by embedding protection in these devices, businesses can lessen the burden on their security unit.
Regardless of the threats institutions face in 2023, it is apparent that the tactics we deploy to protect devices and data has to change.
The key consideration here is strategic resource allocation, and the security teams need to recognise the specific areas of the business that are most susceptible to threats, and that would be most impacted in the event of a breach.
It is also vital to have a layered approach to security which will allow institutions to execute isolation, gain actionable intelligence, isolation and more, whilst helping to lessen their attack surface and maintain safety of key data.
Emmanuel Asika is Country Head for Nigeria, at HP
Equinix, global digital infrastructure company, has launched a cutting-edge LG2.3 data centre in Lagos aimed at fueling Nigeria’s booming tech scene.
Equinix officials at the launch
The data centre is designed to provide businesses with secure, reliable, and high-performance colocation and interconnection services, crucial for supporting the increasing demand for digital services across the region.
Nestled in the bustling Lekki Free Zone, LG2.3 is packed with the latest tech, offering businesses the secure and lightning-fast connections they crave. Think of it as the engine room for Nigeria’s online world, designed to handle the explosive growth of digital services.
The launch featured Bruce Owen, president, Equinix’s EMEA, who cut the ribbon to open the data centre.
“Nigeria is our focus,” Owen declared, emphasizing Equinix’s dedication to powering the nation’s digital growth. “The energy here is incredible, and we’re excited to be part of it.”
On his part, Wole Abu, managing director, Equinix’s West Africa, echoed this sentiment highlighting the increasing global demand for digital infrastructure.
“Africa is on the cusp of a digital explosion, and we’re here to support that growth,” he said.
Nigeria’s digital adoption is skyrocketing, driven by a young, tech-savvy population. Businesses are racing to embrace online platforms, and LG2.3 is perfectly positioned to meet their needs.
This investment is set to create a ripple effect, boosting the economy, creating jobs, and fostering innovation.
LG2.3 is set to be a beacon for Africa’s tech potential.
Equinix’s confidence in the continent aims to attract more global players, turning Africa into a digital powerhouse.
This data centre will act as a vital connection hub, empowering businesses to connect and collaborate, bridging the digital divide.
Equinix’s vision extends beyond Nigeria, with plans to expand across Africa.
strategic move reflects their commitment to building a connected and thriving digital ecosystem.
The success of LG2.3 is a testament to the power of public-private partnerships, with the Nigerian government playing a crucial role in attracting investment.
As Nigeria marches towards a digital future, Equinix’s LG2.3 data centre will be a key driver of progress. It’s a powerful symbol of Nigeria’s digital ambition and a catalyst for Africa’s tech revolution.
Microsoft is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a major leap forward into artificial intelligence, unveiling significant updates to its AI assistant, Copilot.
The announcement was made on April 4, 2025, at the company’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, marking a milestone for both Microsoft and the AI industry.
As the tech giant celebrates its golden anniversary, the company is setting its sights firmly on the future, particularly with its AI-driven tools.
Microsoft’s Copilot, which has been integrated into various software tools across its ecosystem, has now received a significant upgrade.
The new features aim to make the Copilot assistant more intelligent, personalised, and proactive, which positions Microsoft as a serious competitor in the AI space against other industry leaders such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude.
Mustafa Suleyman, head of Microsoft’s AI division, expressed the company’s ambition, saying, “We envision Copilot not just as an assistant, but as a long-term AI companion, one that can learn, adapt, and evolve alongside its users. This goes beyond just responding to commands; it’s about fostering relationships between users and their AI.”
The most notable update to Copilot is its new memory functionality. Now, the assistant can retain information such as preferences, previously used commands, and even personal context, making it more responsive and efficient in future interactions.
This means Copilot can, for example, anticipate a user’s needs based on past behaviours, from scheduling meetings to suggesting restaurants for a night out.
In addition to the memory features, Copilot’s new “Vision” capabilities extend the AI’s functionality across multiple platforms. Windows and mobile users will now be able to interact with Copilot using both the camera and on-screen elements.
This includes actions such as booking appointments, managing tasks, and even shopping online — all in a more interactive and seamless way.
Scott Guthrie, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President, shared his enthusiasm about the potential of these advancements, stating, “With these new capabilities, we’re not just reacting to AI’s capabilities — we’re shaping the future of how users interact with technology. AI can do so much more than just assist with tasks. It can enrich the human experience.”
The updated Copilot is designed to challenge industry competitors like ChatGPT and Claude, offering more personalised and context-aware interactions.
Microsoft has positioned its Copilot as a tool that not only assists users but builds a deeper, more intuitive relationship over time.
The company has also placed a strong emphasis on AI accessibility. With AI’s growing role in everyday tasks, Microsoft aims to make it easier for users to adopt and benefit from these technologies, regardless of their technological proficiency.
Despite past challenges, including legal disputes over privacy and AI ethics, Microsoft continues to push boundaries in the AI space. Guthrie remarked, “This is just the beginning. As we continue to innovate, we are reshaping how people work, interact, and live with technology.”
With Copilot’s advancements, the tech giant hopes to continue its legacy of innovation, making AI tools accessible and useful for people around the world.
By 2027 mobile app usage will decrease by 25 per cent due to AI assistants according to Gartner, Inc. Smartphone users will turn to AI assistants, such as Apple Intelligence, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Meta AI, and others to replace apps for many functions.
In addition to the impact of AI assistants, apps will be consolidated across separate brands and companies, creating mobile app partnerships or consortiums to reach more users per app at scale and defray the cost of creation and maintenance.
“CMOs should begin scenario planning for the impacts of decreased mobile app usage,” said Emily Weiss, Senior Principal for the Gartner Marketing Practice.
“Brands with low app engagement and retention will likely be first impacted – this will be a positive development for brands that are not overly reliant on driving revenue via apps as app development costs will decrease.
Other brands may be severely impacted by the disintermediation of users turning to AI assistants for services. The loss of app users will also result in the loss of first-party data collection and the ability to reach fewer users via mobile push notifications,” Emily added.
By 2026, Over 1/3 of Web Content will be Created for the Purposes of Gen-AI Powered Search According to Gartner’s 2024 CMO Spend Survey of 395 respondents between February and March 2024, the average CMO allocated almost a quarter of their digital marketing budget to search.
Other than end users directly visiting a website, search currently drives more traffic to the average commercial enterprise website than any other referral source.
Given this, a loss of search driven traffic due to algorithmic shifts by major search engines would result in tangible, negative commercial impact to any organisation.
“CMOs will need to direct their teams to hire talent with a strong understanding of how GenAI, and broader AI influences, impacts the performance of their content in search algorithms,” said Weiss.
“It will be important to upskill the function by investing in search and content talent with AI skillsets. These associates will need to have familiarity with creating or optimising content to train and rank within evolving search algorithms,” she said.
By 2028 digital Mlmarketers will move 30 per cent of their paid social budget to support advertising and partnerships on subscription-based channels It is becoming more challenging for CMOs to maintain, let alone grow, their reach and engagement among consumers.
This is especially true as consumers shift their tech and media behaviors away from social media, to other platforms and subscription based channels.
Gartner’s 2024 CMO Spend survey found that since 2022, paid social has maintained the highest budget allocation for all digital media spend. In 2024, B2C Marketing leaders reported allocating 14.3 per cent for their digital channel budget to social media advertising (an increase from 12.3% in 2023).
“Closed group communities and subscription channels of – fer a potential alternative for social media weary consumers and content creators who want to do more than feed the algorithm,” said Weiss.
“Brands can leverage closedgroup subscription channels – such as Substack, Patreon, and Discord – and the professional creators on them to reach relevant target audiences who are already engaging with content they self-selected into consuming,” she added.
Current AI models, such as large language models (LLMs), lack the agency to autonomously execute tasks and adapt in complex environments.
However, as new levels of intelligence are added, new AI agents are poised to quickly become more capable and reliable as brands seek to address customer facing use cases.
“There will be more AI agents than people, so while current approaches require humans in the loop, this idea will quickly become antiquated.
Marketers will need to determine when and how they can trust AI agents to act on behalf of the brand and customers across key areas,” said Weiss.
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