Between 2023 and 2024 African businesses were targeted by web threats, on-device threats, and attacks aiming to steal data, including spyware and password stealers.
This is according to the latest anonymised data from the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN), which also found that phishing and ransomware continue to be significant threats in the region. Kaspersky saw a massive 66-million phishing link clicks in the African region in 2024, including over 14,8-million phishing link clicks by corporate users.
Web-based threats, or online threats, are a category of cybersecurity risks that may cause an undesirable event or action affecting users browsing the Internet. According to Kaspersky data, there were 131 580 587 web threats detected in 2024 in the African region, including almost 20-million attack attempts in Kenya, almost 17-million in South Africa, and 12,6-million in Morocco. Businesses were targeted by web threats more often in 2024 than in 2023, with threat detections increasing by 1,2%.
Local (on device) threats include malware that is spread via removable USB drives, CDs and DVDs, or that initially makes way onto the computer in non-open form (for example, programs in complex installers, encrypted files, etc). According to Kaspersky telemetry, local (on device) threat detections in organisations in the African region in 2024 increased by 4% compared to 2023. Among the countries that saw growth in local threats detected in organisations were Nigeria (169% increase), Ethiopia (86%), South Africa (32%), Senegal (11%), and Morocco (9%).
There has been a spike of threats related to data theft. According to Kaspersky data, there was a 14% growth in spyware attack detections on businesses in the African region from 2023 to 2024. Spyware is secretly installed on a user’s computer to monitor their actions and collect their data.
Apart from that, there has been a 26% increase in password stealer detections. Password stealers are a type of malware designed to harvest login credentials and other sensitive data.
“Our statistics show an increase in attack detections for several types of cyberthreats, and the factors driving these increases are multifaceted,” comments Maher Yamout, lead cybersecurity researcher with Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team.
“In the B2B sector, the continuing shift toward hybrid work models and the rush to digitise operations — often outpacing cybersecurity investments — may leave businesses in Africa exposed to advanced persistent threats.
“In the B2C space, the explosion of digital financial services, coupled with low digital literacy rates, makes individuals prime targets for opportunistic attacks.
“Organisations in Africa should prioritise a unified approach by enhancing collaboration, investing in specialised cybersecurity training, and promoting digital literacy to effectively combat the rising tide of cybercrime. Initiatives like the African Cyber Surge operation and targeted educational programs can serve as blueprints for building a resilient digital ecosystem across the continent.”