The dark web is a hidden part of the internet not indexed by regular search engines like Google, and Edge. They are accessible through dedicated browsers such as Tor and Onion.
The content found on the dark web is often illegal. Anonymous users often post to sell illegal things like breached data, hacking tools and drugs.
The point here is that Africa has been a target for cybercriminals a while and the numbers show for it. A current report by Positive Technologies analyzed dark web activities that labeled African countries as victims.
Africa has seen a rise or a growing number of internet users as it continues to adopt digital technologies. This attracts cybercriminals to attack to fulfill their interest. Also, geopolitical factors may have played a role in the intensified wave of cyberattacks by hacktivists and APT groups in the region.
Dark web statistics of African countries
- African countries that attract the most interest from cybercriminals are South Africa (25%), Nigeria (18%), and Algeria (13%).
For instance, in January 2023, a database belonging to South Africa’s PostBank was put up for sale on a dark web forum. The database contains over 10 million lines of confidential information, presumably about the bank’s customers, including personal data, card information, and transaction history.
- Analysis of dark web forums shows that the government sector (19%) and financial sector (13%) are the most commonly mentioned targets by cybercriminals.
Also read: Over half of cyberattacks in Africa target government and finance — Report
- Cybercriminals most often publish posts related to the distribution (46%) or sale (43%) of information, indicating the presence of politically-motivated hacktivists in the region as well as cybercriminal groups focused on financial gain.
- Databases are the most frequently advertised item on the dark web, accounting for 61% of listings. For example, in May of this year, a post on the dark web was selling data from various banks located in Cameroon. The cybercriminals set a price of $100 for a database containing up to 10,000 entries and $200 for a batch of up to 20,000 entries.
Types of access offered on the dark web
Cybercriminals often advertise or sell unauthorized access to specific digital systems, networks, accounts, or databases on the dark web. They offer access to networks of various organizations in Africa.
Almost one in five posts (18%) contains an offer for access via VPN or RDP protocols. Ads are also frequently found offering access via a shell (14%) or remote access programs such as AnyDesk, RDWeb, and Citrix (8%).
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