7.55% of OT Computers in Africa Exposed to Threat via USBs in H2 2023

Bukola Olanrewaju February 28, 2024 TECHNOLOGY Leave a comment

Kaspersky in its latest report disclosed that cybersecurity threats activities in the second half of 2023.

According to the report, 7.55% of Operational Technology computers in Africa were exposed to threats via USBs.

The organisation made this disclosure at the 9th annual Cyber Security Weekend – META conference held recently in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The report stated that the threats via USBs in Africa was 20 times more than the figure of Western Europe while 7.2% faced threat by worms which was 28 times more than in Australia & New Zealand and 9.1% of OT computers were exposed to spyware and that was 7.7 times more than the figure for North America.

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It is to be recalled that last year, FBI warned of the dangers of using public USB ports due to hackers. This is also known as “juice jacking.”

A quick charge at a USB port to boost your phone battery at an airport, a street kiosk, or train station could lead to a nightmare, according to a new alert from the FBI. Hackers steal data on your phone like credit cards and passwords.

The FBI tweeted: “Avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels, or shopping centres. Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead.”

Also, Check Point Research in its 2023 Mid-Year Security Report highlights the fusion of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology with traditional tools like USB devices used for disruptive cyber-attacks.

USB devices have resurfaced as threats, employed by both state-affiliated groups and cyber-criminals, to distribute malware globally, the report stated.

In the same vein, the Kaspersky report also disclosed 28.8% of ICS computers in Nigeria were hit by malware attacks in the second half of 2023.

While 32.6% of ICS computers was attacked with malware, globally.