The National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has opened up on categories of cyber-attacks inherent in the country in the last couple of years.
Speaking in his presentation during a training workshop for IT journalists in Lagos, the Head, IT and Cybersecurity, Mr. Olorunisomo Ishola said as days go by, more innovative attack models are churned out by cyber criminals.
According to him, the following attacks mostly are aimed at the organizations with sole aim to steal or disrupt services.
Ransomware is a style of cyber-attack that is known as information hijacking, where the attacker uses a code to get access to the organization’s server. The objective is to hold a company’s data hostage until the affected user pays a specific amount, which can often n bbe hefty These attacks can use email to penetrate a system, but can also be initlated by visiting an infected website, clicking on an online ad with malicious code, or hackers exploiting network vulnerabilities
Distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) A cyber attacker floods the system with a high number of simultaneous functions, such as a request to a webpage. The goal is to overwhelm networks, systems, or devices.
Malware is a type of malicious software that is designed to damage computers or steal information. Hackers can use malware to delete files, access sensitive information, or disable a computer. In other words, it is intended to take control of or disrupt a target’s computer system or infrastructure.
Social engineering represents a catch-all term for various tactics that are used by hackers. These tactics are designed to trick individuals into giving out sensitive or confidential information (e.g: Phishing. Smishing, Vishing, etc.)
Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) is a sophisticated, sustained cyberattack in which an intruder establishes an undetected presence in a network in order to steal sensitive data over a prolonged period of time. An APT attack is carefully planned and designed to infiltrate a specific organization, evade existing security measures and fly under the radar.
SQL injection attacks, often known as SQLi attacks, are a type of vulnerability in website and web app code that allows attackers to take control of back-end operations and access, retrieve, and destroy sensitive data from databases.
Man-in-the-middle attack (MITM) is a type of cyber threat in which a hacker intercepts communication between two people to obtain information. On an insecure WiFi network, for example, an attacker could intercept data passing between the victim’s device and the network.
Insider threat is the potential for an insider to use their authorized access or understanding of an organization to harm that organization. This harm can include malicious, complacent, or unintentional acts that negatively affect the integrity confidentiality, and availability of the organization, its data, personnel, or facilities
Third-Party Threats are typically contractors or vendors non formal members of an organization, people but have to complete been granted their work. some These level of threats access may to be facilities, direct or systems, indirect networks, or ANDPC 19 threats.
Cyberattacks in Nigeria
Ishola in his presentation, recalled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reported that 80% of the 978 convictions it secured as at September 2021 were based on cyber fraud
Another report by Nigeria Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) indicates that within 9 months of 2020, fraudsters made 46,126 attempts to breach data based systems. Sadly, 41,979 of these were successful – representing 91% of the time!
DA Survey titled ‘The State of Ransomware 2022’, reveals that 71% of Nigerian businesses were hit by ransomware attacks in 2021 and that the cost of remediation of these attacks for 44% of the businesses was $3.43 million. The implications are definitely huge on our economy and image as a country.
