Nigeria has moved up in its cybersecurity ranking and is now 19th among the top 20 countries most affected by malware in November 2024, according to Check Point. The country’s risk level decreased to 56.9%, down from 61.9% in August when it was ranked 14th. Even though Nigeria has made progress, African countries are still the main targets for malware attacks. Seven out of the 20 most attacked countries are in Africa.
Ethiopia is the most attacked country in the world, followed by Zimbabwe (4th, 82.8%), Uganda (9th, 67.8%), Angola (10th, 67.5%), and Ghana (13th, 62%). South Africa saw significant improvement, falling to 67th with a risk index of 39.1%.
Androxgh0st was used in malware attacks, mainly aimed at IoT devices and web servers. Other harmful programs include FakeUpdates, AgentTesla, Formbook, and Remcos. On mobile devices, Joker malware remains dominant, stealing data and enrolling victims in premium services.
Cybercriminals continue to target critical infrastructure such as energy grids and transportation systems, exploiting vulnerabilities that could cause widespread disruption.
Around the world, education, communication companies, and governments are the most often attacked, showing the need for better protection.
Maya Horowitz of Check Point Software talked about how cybercriminals are changing their methods. She said organizations should use strong security to fight against these threats.
