Nigerians are being warned to be careful about what they do on the internet by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). This is because hackers have improved their phishing attacks by using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
In its most recent public warning, the Agency said that AI now lets attackers do in-depth studies on their victims and send them personalised messages to get them to give up their private data.
The NITDA says that phishing attacks involve tricking people into opening an infected email file, clicking on a harmful link, or giving away private data like bank account information or usernames and passwords.
Phishing campaigns can come in the form of emails, calls, or text messages, and they try to take advantage of people by tricking them.
Cybercriminals want user account passwords because they can be used to get into personal and business networks. The most popular way for attackers to get user credentials is through phishing emails.
Read also: NITDA to transform Nigeria’s digital trust, global standards
AI leveraging
The alert from NITDA noted that AI has made phishing more sophisticated. “Lately, these criminal actors have moved things up a level by harnessing Al to boost the sophistication of their attack tactics. It involves using Al to investigate potential victims and send personalised messages to trick them into disclosing sensitive information. This smart method shows how phishing assaults are becoming more innovative and surprising people.”
Protective measures
To protect individuals and organisations against assaults, NITDA warned Nigerians to be cautious about opening emails and clicking links.
Nigerians should also avoid entering personal information on untrusted websites, according to the Agency.
NITDA also advised organizations and individuals to engage in continuous education and remain abreast of potential phishing threats. It urged Nigerians to report any suspected incidents to relevant authorities in the country.
Increased phishing assaults
In the third quarter of 2023, Vade Secure reported 173% more phishing attacks and 110% more malware threats.
Hackers sent over 207.3 million phishing emails in August, roughly doubling the amount from July, according to the research.
The second-most phishing month was September (172.6 million emails), followed by July (113.4 million). Vade reported that Facebook and Microsoft were the most impersonated brands in Q3 2023.
Hackers love Facebook and Microsoft regardless of trends. The analysts wrote that both brands have been #1 or #2 most impersonated since 2020.
