INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Enterprise Security
Communications , ISP , banking , government top African industries targeted finds Check Point
In addition , the report highlights the expanding reach of the sophisticated RAT AgentTesla , driven by a new and complex malspam campaign using corrupted email attachments . The education sector continues to be the prime target , underscoring the ongoing vulnerability of this industry to cyber-attacks .
Last month , AgentTesla was found being disseminated through archive files that contained a malicious Microsoft Compiled HTML Help , . CHM extension . These files , disguised as typical order and shipment documents , were distributed via emails with . GZ or . zip attachments , tricking recipients into downloading the malware .
Once installed , AgentTesla exhibits a range of harmful capabilities , including keylogging , capturing clipboard data , accessing file systems , and secretly transmitting stolen data to a Command and Control , C & C server .
Rudi van Rooyen , Sales Engineer , Check Point Software
Check Point Software Technologies released its Global Threat Index for October 2023 , unveiling an alarming trend in cyber threats . The Remote Access Trojan , RAT NJRat has dramatically risen from sixth to second place , with a particular focus on targeting government agencies and organisations in Africa and Middle East .
This escalation in cyber threats has been particularly severe in Africa , with Mauritius ranking 6th , Nigeria 11th , Morocco 15th , and Kenya 25th in terms of being targeted and attacked . South Africa follows , ranking 55th globally .
Education , Research remained in first place as the most attacked industry globally , followed by Communications and Government , Military . However , in Africa the top industries that came under attack are :
• Communications
• ISP , MSP
• Finance and Banking
• Government and Military
Check Point ’ s Global Threat Impact Index and its ThreatCloud Map are powered by Check Point ’ s ThreatCloud intelligence . ThreatCloud provides real-time threat intelligence derived from hundreds of millions of sensors worldwide , over networks , endpoints and mobiles . The intelligence is enriched with AI-based engines and exclusive research data from Check Point Research , the intelligence and research arm of Check Point Software Technologies .
“ We cannot overlook the sophisticated tactics used by hackers to distribute malware , such as impersonating trusted brands or using malicious email attachments ,” said Rudi van Rooyen , Sales Engineer at Check Point Software . “ As we enter the busy shopping season in November , it is crucial to stay alert . Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the increased online shopping activity , and no region , including Africa , is immune to these threats .”
Zyxel ZyWALL Command Injection , CVE-2023-28771 was the most exploited vulnerability , impacting 42 % of organisations globally , followed by Command Injection Over HTTP which impacts 42 % of organisations worldwide . Web Servers Malicious URL Directory Traversal was the third most used vulnerability , with a global impact of 42 %.
Formbook was the most prevalent malware last month with an impact of 3 % worldwide organisations , followed by NJRat with a global impact of 2 %, and Remcos with a global impact of 2 %. p
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