CYBER SECURITY
Cyber security news updates in Kenya and Africa and tips on why it is critical for an enterprise to utilize cybersecurity best practices to avoid common cyber security threats.
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Online fraudsters using sophisticated software to access digital loans, JuicyScore
Cases of fraudsters illegally accessing digital loans from fintech platforms in Africa have been on the rise over the last…
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Criminals “Follow the Money” by Commercializing Cybercrime, Sophos report
A new Sophos today published its 2023 Threat Report has detailed how the cyberthreat landscape has reached a new level…
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Liquid launches cyber security centre to help fight cyber crime in the country
Liquid Intelligent Technologies has launched a Cyber Security Fusion Centre (CSFC) in an effort to respond better to cyber threats.…
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Sophos Earns Trifecta of Perfect Scores in SE Labs Endpoint Protection Report
Sophos’s endpoint security products have been ranked as the industry best in all three of SE Labs’ protection tests in…
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South Africans Must Up Their Game Against Cybercrime
South Africans are not performing well when it comes to cybercrime. We are ranked fifth out of 37 countries for…
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Manufacturing reports highest average ransomware payment across all sectors, Sophos report
The manufacturing sector had the highest average ransom payment across all sectors—$2,036,189 versus $812,360, respectively. This is according to a…
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Hackers stole $11 million from 12 African countries over a period of five years
Banks, financial services providers, and telecommunication companies from 12 African countries lost $11 million to hacking attacks between 2018 and…
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Why is data security important in the world now more than ever?
Data breaches continue to plague businesses across the globe. The recent Equifax breach has left millions of Americans without their…
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Sophos’ MDR Service Launches Compatibility with Third-Party Cybersecurity Technologies
Sophos has today launched new third-party security technology compatibilities with Sophos Managed Detection and Response (MDR). The new tech, Sophos…
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Huawei and Communication Authority Conduct a Cyber Security Boot Camp
The Communications Authority (CA) has partnered with Chinese technology firm Huawei to train young people in institutions of higher learning…
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Users in Africa hit by new malicious WhatsApp mod
A new malicious version of a popular WhatsApp messenger mod dubbed YoWhatsApp is doing rounds targeting users in the META…
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Biometrics tech firm iiDENTIFii raises $15 million growth capital
Biometrics tech firm iiDENTIFii has raised US$15 million growth capital, the largest African Series A in the identity verification space…
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Nearly 75% of Local and State Government Organizations Attacked by Ransomware Had Their Data Encrypted, Sophos
72% of state and local government organizations attacked by ransomware had their data encrypted—7% more than the cross-sector average. This…
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Konvergenz introduces cyber security program for the finance sector in Kenya
Cyber attacks have increased over the past years, taking different forms at every turn. Their evolving nature places organizations at…
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Chinese Hackers Deployed Malware to Infect Australian Government Websites, Report
A report by cybersecurity firm Proofpoint and PwC Threat Intelligence has revealed how Chinese hackers deployed a fake news site…
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Uber hacked, forced to take systems offline
Uber is investigating a hacking incident after a hacker compromised its network forcing the company to take several of its…
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Ugandan Parliament Passes New Law to Curb Cyber Crime
The Ugandan Parliament has passed the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill, 2022 which prescribes tougher penalties for those perpetrating cyber crimes.…
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Retail Industry was the Second Most Targeted Industry by Ransomware in 2021, Report
Retail had the second highest rate of ransomware attacks last year of all sectors surveyed after the media, leisure, and…
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Cybersecurity is foundational for an economic recovery that works for all, says Dell
With citizens, governments, and businesses more dependent than ever on digital connectivity, one of the most pressing sectoral issues for…
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Password management firm LastPass says it was hacked, tells users not to panic
LastPass, the world’s most popular password manager has admitted that it was hacked. In an email to customers, the company…
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Smile Identity says cases of identity theft in Africa have increased by 26% since last year
Pan-African provider of identity verification technologies Smile Identity has said that cases of identity theft have increased by 26% since…
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Active Adversaries Increasingly Exploit Stolen Session Cookies to Bypass MFA, Sophos Report
A new Sophos report has revealed that those active adversaries are increasingly exploiting stolen session cookies to bypass Multi-Factor Authentication…
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Hive, LockBit and BlackCat Ransomware Gangs Consecutively Attack the Same Network, Sophos Reports
Sophos today announced in the Sophos X-Ops Active Adversary whitepaper, “Multiple Attackers: A Clear and Present Danger,” that Hive, LockBit and BlackCat, three prominent ransomware…
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More than 100 cyber security experts graduate from the USIU Cyber Shujaa Program
The first cohort of 170 trainees has graduated from the Cyber Shujaa program run by the United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) in partnership…
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Sophos X-Ops debuts to tackle increasingly complex cyberattacks
Sophos today announced Sophos X-Ops, a new cross-operational unit linking SophosLabs, Sophos SecOps and Sophos AI, three established teams of cybersecurity…
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Sophos ZTNA Earns Frost & Sullivan’s Global New Product Innovation Award
Sophos ZTNA has been named Frost & Sullivan’s Global New Product Innovation Award winner. The zero trust network access (ZTNA)…
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BlackCat Adds Brute Ratel to Attack Tools, Reports Sophos
Ransomware gang BlackCat has added Brute Ratel, a pentesting tool, to its arsenal of attack tools. This is according to “BlackCat…
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Education Sector Suffers Highest Data Encryption Rate and Longest Recovery Time, Sophos report
Sophos has published a new sectoral survey report, The State of Ransomware in Education 2022. The findings reveal that education institutions…
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Crypto scammers hack British Army’s YouTube and Twitter accounts
Scammers briefly took control of the British Army’s YouTube and Twitter accounts, to promote a fake crypto scheme, the UK…
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Google and Apple raise concerns over an Italian spyware sold to governments
Google and Apple have voiced their concerns over the increased use of spyware for their Android and Apple smartphones. A…
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Attacker Dwell Time Increased by 36%, Sophos’ Active Adversary Playbook 2022 Reveals
There was a 36% increase in dwell time, with a median intruder dwell time of 15 days in 2021 versus…
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Ransomware Attacks on Healthcare Organizations Increased 94% in 2021, Sophos Survey
Sophos has published a new sectoral survey report, “The State of Ransomware in Healthcare 2022.” The findings reveal a 94%…
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12% of all website traffic originating from Twitter is made up of bots, Report
A report published by Israeli cybersecurity company CHEQ, on Monday, May 30 indicates that 12% of all traffic originating from…
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Sophos Named a Leader in 2022 KuppingerCole Leadership Compass for Endpoint Protection, Detection and Response
Sophos has been named a leader in the 2022 KuppingerCole Leadership Compass for Endpoint Protection, Detection and Response. It is…
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Kaspersky Launches Cyber Security Training for IT Experts
Cyber security firm Kaspersky has announced the launch of a new Windows Incident Response training course to help organizations respond…
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Big Tech Companies Accused of Data Breaches in US and Europe
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has revealed that Google and other internet companies are engaging in serious incidents…
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Sophos Lifts the Lid Off Liquidity Mining CryptoCrime
Cybersecurity leader Sophos has released threat research about nascent cybercrime. The research, which has been documented in the article “Liquidity Mining Scams…
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Microsoft is Now Offering Cybersecurity Experts For Hire
In a bid to contribute to the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape, Microsoft has announced a new service dubbed Microsoft Security Experts.…
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How scammers subscribe mobile users to unwanted paid services
With an ever-growing number of smartphone users, the development of mobile applications has become a booming industry. Today there are…
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Sophos Acquires UK-Based SOC.OS to Advance Managed Threat Response Capabilities
Sophos has announced that it has acquired SOC.OS, an innovator of a cloud-based security alert investigation and triage automation solution.…
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Sophos Unveils Powerful Cloud Workload Protection Advancements with New Linux and Container Security Offerings
Sophos has unveiled advancements to Sophos Cloud Workload Protection, including new Linux host and container security capabilities. These enhancements accelerate…
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Sophos Achieves Perfect Scores in SE Labs’ Protection Tests
Sophos today announced that its endpoint products ranked top in all three of SE Labs’ protection tests in the first…
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Attackers Are Using the Log4Shell Vulnerability to Deliver Backdoors to Virtual Servers, Sophos Research
Sophos today released findings on how attackers are using the Log4Shell vulnerability to deliver backdoors and profiling scripts to unpatched…
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Program to train 2,000 Kenyan youths as cybersecurity experts launched
USIU-Africa, Kenya Bankers Association and Serianu have unveiled an industry-led training program to add 2,000 cyber security professionals in Kenya.…
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Sophos releases insights into crypto scam targets dating app users on iPhone and Android
Sophos has released new insight into an international crypto trading scam called CryptoRom that targets iPhone and Android users through…
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Conti Gang Encrypts Karma’s Extortion Notes in Dual Ransomware Attack, Sophos Research Reveals
Sophos today released findings of a dual ransomware attack where extortion notes left by Karma ransomware operators were encrypted 24…
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Russia hits Ukrainian government websites with cyber attacks
Russian president this week launched a military operation in Ukraine. Explosions have been heard across the country with Ukraine’s foreign…
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Sophos extends adaptive cybersecurity ecosystem with Zero Trust Network Access
Sophos unveiled Sophos ZTNA, the only zero trust network access (ZTNA) offering that fully integrates with an industry-leading, next-generation endpoint solution…
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New Sophos research into a Midas ransomware attack highlights the risks of limited access controls and “ghost” tools
Sophos has released findings from an incident involving Midas ransomware that took place over two months and involved extensive lateral movement through the…
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Sophos Unveils Sophos Switch Series to Strengthen and Simplify Connectivity at the Access Layer
Sophos has unveiled the Sophos Switch Series, featuring a range of network access layer switches to connect, power and control…
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AvosLocker Ransomware Uses AnyDesk in Safe Mode to Launch Attacks, Sophos Reports
Sophos released new research about AvosLocker ransomware in the article, “AvosLocker Remotely Accesses Boxes, Even Running in Safe Mode.” Sophos…
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Cybersecurity Myths You Might Still Believe – Debunked!
Over time, the state of cybersecurity evolves. New threats emerge, but so do new security technologies. As encryption has become…
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Sophos Intelligence Shows Cyberattackers are Exploiting Apache Log4Shell Vulnerability
Security firm Sophos has provided new threat intelligence on how cyberattackers are already exploiting or attempting to exploit unpatched systems.…
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New Variants of Tor2Mine Cryptominer Feature Enhanced Evasion, Persistence and Spreading Powers, Sophos Reports
Sophos released new findings on the Tor2Mine cryptominer, that show how the miner evades detection, spreads automatically through a target…
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Suspected Digital Holiday Shopping Fraud From Kenya Decreases 16.5%, report
17.5% of all global e-commerce transactions – and 3.6% of Kenyan transactions – between November 25-29 were potentially fraudulent. This…
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Sophos Cloud Optix Advancements Automate and Simplify Detection and Response of AWS Security Incidents
Sophos has. unveiled advancements to Sophos Cloud Optix that automate and simplify the detection and response of security incidents across…
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Sophos Ranked “Best Enterprise Endpoint Security” by SE Labs
Endpoint security leader Sophos has been ranked the Best Enterprise Endpoint security by SE Labs in its 2021 Annual Report.…
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Upstream, MTN and WASPA team up to protect South Africa’s mobile ecosystem from misleading ads and malicious apps
Leading mobile marketing tech firm Upstream and mobile operator MTN have ramped up their fight against mobile-based fraud. The two…
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Gravitational Force of Ransomware Black Hole Pulls in Other Cyberthreats to Create One Massive, Interconnected Ransomware Delivery System, Sophos
Gravitational force of ransomware’s black hole is pulling in other cyberthreats to form one massive, interconnected ransomware delivery system –…
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Sophos Rapid Response Details Top Ways Ransomware Attackers Ramp up Pressure to Pay
Cybersecurity firm Sophos has published an article detailing how ransomware attackers are implementing a wide range of ruthless pressure tactics to…
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Kaspersky launches simulation game training for diplomats and non-techie cyber experts
Kaspersky, with the support of the DiploFoundation (a non-profit educational foundation), has developed an online simulation game to help diplomats…
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5G will usher in new tech advancement opportunities and innovation, but cybersecurity risk must be considered, says Kaspersky and Rocketnet
With 1.8 billion 5G connections expected globally by 2025, this mobile network technology is becoming increasingly important. In the same period, it…
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More Kenyans were attacked with password stealers in 2021, Kaspersky
There were 16% more users attacked with password stealers in Kenya between January and September 2021 compared to the same…
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Cryptocurrency iPhone Scam Rakes in at Least $1.4 Million, Sophos Report
Sophos has released new insight on an international cryptocurrency trading scam targeting iPhone users through popular dating apps, such as…
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Kaspersky launches dedicated ‘low budget’ security hub for SMEs across META
Kaspersky has unveiled a free platform with tips and tricks for small businesses to help them quickly improve their organization’s…
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Manufacturing and Production Companies Hit by Ransomware Least Likely To Pay The Ransom, Sophos Survey
Companies in the manufacturing and production sector are the least likely (at 19%) to submit to a ransom demand to…
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Sophos reports accelerated worldwide growth across its MSP Connect partner programme
Sophos has announced accelerated worldwide growth of MSP Connect, its award-winning program to help managed service providers (MSPs) increase customer management efficiencies,…
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Sophos Research Reveals Top Ways Cyberscammers and Malware Operators Abuse Google Forms
Sophos has published a new research, “Phishing and Malware Actors Abuse Google Forms for Credentials, Data Exfiltration,” describing how cyber…
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90% of IT leaders across Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe step up their focus on Cyber Security, report
Over 90% of IT decision-makers across South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe have accelerated their focus on Cyber Security due to…
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Kaspersky uncovers a malicious code spreading through a mod in WhatsApp
Kaspersky has discovered a malicious version of a popular WhatsApp messenger mod (unofficial modification of the app) called FMWhatsapp. This…
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Retail sector became top target for ransomware and data-theft extortion attacks during the pandemic in 2020, Sophos
Sophos has published the “State of Ransomware in Retail,” which looks at the extent and impact of ransomware attacks on mid-sized…
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Kenya and South Africa top targeted African countries by malware attacks, Kaspersky
South Africa and Kenya are the most targeted African countries by malware attacks. This is according to a new report…
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Raccoon stealer uses Telegram, adds cryptomining and cryptocurrency theft, Sophos Report
A new report by security leader Sophos has revealed a raccoon stealer disguised as pirated software that grabs cryptocurrencies and…
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29% of corporate users in Kenya experienced financial malware attacks in the first half of 2021, Kaspersky
Although Kaspersky’s research shows that the overall number of financial malware attacks in Kenya has decreased in the first half…
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Brandon Rochat: What SMEs need to know about Ransomware attacks
Ransomware attacks are on the rise and malicious cybercriminals are always fine-tuning their strategies. Business leaders need to realise that…
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Sophos Acquires Refactr to Optimize MTR and Extended Detection and Response with SOAR Capabilities
Just a week after acquiring Braintrace to Boost Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem, Sophos has announced yet another acquisition. The endpoint security…
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Sophos Acquires Braintrace to Boost Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem
Endpoint security leader Sophos has acquired Braintrace further enhancing Sophos’ Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem with Braintrace’s proprietary Network Detection and Response…
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Cyberattacks in Africa comparable to other parts of the globe, says Kaspersky
With digital transformation a top priority on the corporate agenda as companies identify new ways to grow their business, cyber…
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The Education Sector Was the Hardest Hit by Ransomware in 2020
The education sector was the hardest hit by ransomware in 2020 with 44% of organizations hit (compared to 37% across…
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The Changing Face of Cyber Crime Actors
ESET and other players in the cybersecurity sector have raised the red flag on the increase of state and state-sponsored…
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Cybersecurity Firm Sophos Acquires Capsule8 Security Platform for Linux Containers
Sophos has today announced that it has acquired Capsule8, a pioneer and market leader of runtime visibility, detection and response…
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Sophos Uncovers a Curious “Vigilante”-Style Cyberattack That Blocks Users of Pirated Software from Reaching Pirate Sites
Sophos today published a new research, “Vigilante Malware Rats Out Software Pirates While Blocking ThePirateBay,” which details a curious cyberattack campaign…
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Sophos announces winner of its 2021 Middle East and Africa Partner Awards
Cybersecurity firm Sophos has announced the winners of its 2021 Middle East and Africa Partner Awards. The winners were announced…
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This new malware primarily targets diplomatic missions and telcos in Africa
IT security software and service provider ESET has uncovered a new malware variant called that is being spread by the…
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Hackers Gain Access Into Nairobi Metropolitan Services Building Approval System
The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has suspended development plan approvals after a group of hackers gained access into its building…
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With cyber threats identified as an extreme concern for local CEOs, a spotlight must be placed on cybersecurity frameworks, says Kaspersky
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to accelerate digital transformation in organisations globally, recent research by PwC has highlighted that CEOs are…
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[Column] Peter Mackenzie: Top 10 security misconceptions
The Sophos Rapid Response team has compiled a list of the most commonly held security misconceptions they’ve encountered in the last…
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Adversaries Spend More than 250 Hours Undetected in Target Networks on Average, Sophos Report
Sophos, today released the “Active Adversary Playbook 2021,” detailing attacker behaviors and the tools, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that Sophos’…
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Sophos Uncovers 167 Fake Android and iOS Trading and Cryptocurrency Apps
Sophos has identified a stash of 167 fake Android and iOS apps that attackers are using to steal money from…
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Sophos Launches Industry’s Only XDR Solution that Synchronizes Native Endpoint, Server, Firewall, and Email Security
Sophos today announced Sophos XDR, the industry’s only extended detection and response (XDR) solution that synchronizes native endpoint, server, firewall,…
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Dell Issues Security Patch to Bug Affecting Hundreds of Millions of Computers
Computer manufacturer Dell has issued a security patch to a “high-impact” Kernel bug affecting potentially hundreds of millions of its…
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One Out of Every 100 Mobile Users in Kenya Affected by Stalkerware
Among the many things that have risen sharply since the onset of the pandemic are cybersecurity attacks. Whether it’s on…
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Kaspersky partners with value-added distributor DataGroupIT to strengthen West African footprint
As part of its strategy to grow its business in West Africa, Kaspersky has partnered with value-added distributor DataGroupIT who…
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Sophos Unveils XGS Series Firewall Appliances
Sophos has today unveiled new XGS Series firewall appliances with unrivaled performance and advanced protection against cyberattacks. Sophos says the…
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Nigeria Suffers Mobile Malware Epidemic with 1 In 9 Android Phones Now Infected
Mobile users in Nigeria have been impacted by mobile malware during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is according to a new…
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inq. partners with Elastic to strengthen cybersecurity in Africa
Pan-African cloud-based digital service provider inq. has announced that they are now a strategic managed security services partner for Elastic,…
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Truecaller Intros Business Solution in Africa As It Hits 43 Million Users on the Continent
Truecaller, the popular Caller ID and Spam Blocking app has launched a new business-focused solution to help its users easily…
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[Column] Chester Wisniewski: Beg bounty hunting – why do people do it, and how?
I recently wrote a Sophos News article on the whole phenomenon of “beg bounties” and invited organizations that had been…
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Personal Data of Over 500 Million Facebook Users Leaked Online
Facebook’s history of handling users personal data is nothing short of disgusting. Following the massive data leak concerning the Cambridge…
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The Realities of AI in Cybersecurity: Catastrophic Forgetting
There is a lot of hype about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity. The truth is that the…
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Increasing Threat of Hidden Malware in User Devices in Kenya
Widely, it’s a commonly accepted notion that surfing the web poses dangerous security threats to users. While that is not…
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