The Computer Security Incidents Response Team (CSIRT), set up by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the telecoms sector, has discovered two new separate cyber threats targeting Windows Platforms and a particular kind of routers respectively.
The first cyber threat is a ransomware known as ‘Lokilocker’, which is capable of wiping data from all version of Windows systems or platforms. It causes data loss, and denial of service (DoS), which reduces user’s productivity, the NCC statement said.
To hide the malicious activity, the ransomware displays a fake window update screen, cancel specific processes and services, and completely disables the task manager, windows error reporting, machine firewall and windows defender of the compromised system.
The second cyber threat discovered by the NCC CSIRT is a Botnet that targets the Microtik version of Routers. As CSIRT revealed, thousands of routers from Microtik which have been found to be vulnerable are being used to constitute what has been named one of the largest botnets in history
This botnet exploits an already-known vulnerability, which allows unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files and authenticate remote attackers to write arbitrary files, due to a directory traversal vulnerability in the WinBox interface.
To be protected against this botnet, NCC CISRT advised users to update or apply the latest patches to their routers early, set strong router passwords, disable the administration interface of the routers from the public, stay away from illegitimate or cracked software versions of legitimate applications, and use decent antivirus software with in-built web-filtering, and apply the latest patches as soon as they arrive.
