Tag Archives: Ransomware

06Aug/26

AI Automates the Industrialized Cybercrime Economy

August 6, 2026SecurityAngola, Computer security, Conti, Crimes, Cyberattack, Cybercrime, Cyberwarfare, Deepfake, Generative AI, Kenya, Kganyago, Lesetja Kganyago, Malware, Neal Jetton, Oludare Ogunlana, Phishing, Ransomware, Security breaches, Senegal, South Africa, Sunday, Uganda, Zambiaadmin

Coordinated Policing Battles a Surge in Sophisticated, AI-Powered Scams Across Africa

Thur , Aug 06 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Artificial intelligence has become the primary engine transforming cybercrime across Africa, driving 55 percent of all reported digital offenses and shifting the threat landscape from isolated incidents into an industrialized, borderless criminal ecosystem. This automation spans every stage of a cyberattack, from initial target reconnaissance and highly personalized phishing generation to execution, extortion, and operational evasion. Fueled by the continent’s rapid digital transformation, which reached over 1.1 billion registered mobile subscribers in 2025, cybercriminals have successfully scaled their operations to target massive audiences simultaneously. This has resulted in a devastating financial toll, with annual regional losses skyrocketing from $192 million in 2024 to $484 million in 2025, while the number of identified individual victims surged from 35,000 to 87,000. Continue reading →

29Aug/23

International ransomware gangs are evolving their techniques. The next generation of hackers will target weaknesses in cryptocurrencies

August 29, 2023SecurityAdam Young, Alpesh Bhudia, Anna Cartwright, Beatrix Potter, British Airways, Clop, Coinbase, Computer security, Conti, Creative Commons, Cyberattack, Cybercrime, Dallas, Darren Hurley-Smith, Dorchester, Edward Cartwright, Guilford, Joseph Popp, Malware, Martin, Moscow, Ransomware, Royal, Royal Mail, Russia, Ryuk, SHUTTERSTOCK, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vitalik Buterin, WannaCry ransomware attackadmin

Alpesh Bhudia, Royal Holloway University of London; Anna Cartwright, Oxford Brookes University; Darren Hurley-Smith, Royal Holloway University of London, and Edward Cartwright, De Montfort University

In May 2023, the Dallas City Government was hugely disrupted by a ransomware attack. Ransomware attacks are so-called because the hackers behind them encrypt vital data and demand a ransom in order to get the information decrypted.

Continue reading →

16Jun/23

World’s biggest cyber attack on European banks.

June 16, 2023SecurityAnonymous, Anonymous Sudan, Computer security, Crime, Cyberattacks, Cyberattacks on Ukraine, Cybercrime, Cyberwarfare, France, Germany, Italy, kaseya, Killnet, National security, Phishing, Ransomware, REvil, Security, Sudanadmin

June 16, 2023 /Security/ — Three hacker groups, Killnet, Anonymous Sudan, and REvil, have reportedly teamed up to launch a “world’s biggest cyber attack” on European banks. The groups have released a video warning of the attack, which they say will target SWIFT, the international payments system.

KillNet is a pro-Russian hacking group that has been active since 2022. The group has claimed responsibility for a number of cyberattacks, including attacks on Ukrainian government websites and infrastructure. Continue reading →

09Dec/22

Avast 2023 Predictions Highlight Increased Risk for Detrimental Damage Caused by Ransomware Gangs

December 9, 2022SecurityAvast, Computer security, Cryptography, Cybercrime, Cyberwarfare, Malware, National security, Prevention, Ransomware, Security, Security breachesadmin

Avast, a leading global digital security and privacy consumer brand by Gen™ (NASDAQ: GEN), anticipates an increased risk of ransomware attacks in 2023 threatening to leak people’s and businesses’ valuable data if ransom demands aren’t paid. Additionally, Avast researchers foresee optimization of social engineering used in scam attacks, taking advantage of economic hardships and energy crisis fears. The experts also expect increased malicious activity overall, as open-source malware becomes more accessible, and cybergangs recruit hacktivists to join their causes. Continue reading