Spyware and cyberattacks have skyrocketed this year, as Africans take to the internet to stay in touch with family and friends due to the COVID-19.

Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa experienced millions of malware and other attacks between January and August, according to data from cybersecurity company Kaspersky.   

Potentially unwanted applications (PUA), also known as grayware, are programmes that come pre-installed on phones and computers and can pose security and privacy risks. Malware, which includes spyware and viruses, is software designed to cause damage.

“There were 3.8 million malware attacks and 16.8 million PUA detections,” says Kaspersky. “In South Africa, there were almost ten million malware attacks and a staggering 43 million PUA detections. Kenyan users faced even more malware attacks — around 14 million and 41 million PUA appearances.” 

“In some countries, these attacks have taken a new dimension, impersonating non-governmental organisations working on COVID-19 response.” Verengai Mabika, Internet Society

Unfortunately, most organisations only discover they’ve fallen victim to a cyber-attack when it’s too late. Act now and invest in the best defences available.