NITDA issues alert on AI malware targeting Nigerian organisations
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has raised an alarm about a new artificial intelligence-powered malware called DeepLoad. The agency warns that this malware is actively targeting government agencies, financial institutions, businesses, and individuals in Nigeria. According to NITDA, DeepLoad is designed to steal sensitive information while evading detection by traditional antivirus systems. The agency urges immediate action to prevent infections and protect sensitive data.
What we know
- NITDA reported that DeepLoad spreads through social engineering tactics, especially fake website error prompts that trick users into running malicious commands.
- Once installed, the malware silently harvests credentials and sensitive data from major web browsers and uses AI to avoid antivirus detection.
- DeepLoad has a hidden persistence mechanism, allowing it to reactivate itself up to three days after apparent removal.
- The agency warns that successful infections could lead to financial theft, identity fraud, operational disruptions, and even compromise national security infrastructure.
- NITDA recommends not executing commands from unknown websites, avoiding unverified USB drives, enabling two-factor authentication, reviewing browser extensions, and reporting any suspected incidents immediately.
