Global cyber-Attacks surge as African brands face rising threats

GLOBAL CYBER ATTACKS

By Felicia Nwosu

Organisations worldwide are grappling with rising cyber threats, and new insights from Check Point® Software Technologies revealed that in January 2026, each organisation faced an average of 2,090 attacks per week, a 3% increase from December and a 17% jump compared with last year.

Consequently, it stated that the pressure on IT teams is intensifying as ransomware activity surges and vulnerabilities from rapid Generative AI (GenAI) adoption multiply.

Sharing this on its website, the platform said Across Africa, organisations feel the strain sharply. It revealed that, Nigeria leads the region, reporting 4,701 weekly attacks per organisation, marking a 12% year-on-year increase.

Meanwhile, Angola recorded 4,512 attacks, Kenya faced 2,172, and South Africa experienced 2,145 attacks. Overall, the continent averaged 2,864 attacks per week, reflecting persistent and evolving cyber risks.

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Ian van Rensburg, Head of Security Engineering for Africa at Check Point, cautioned: “Cyber-attacks are growing not only in frequency but also in sophistication.

As organisations accelerate digital adoption, they must simultaneously strengthen cybersecurity. AI-driven prevention remains essential to protect operations and safeguard sensitive data.”

The report further highlighted the risks posed by GenAI tools. It notes that one in every 30 corporate AI prompts carries a high potential to expose sensitive information.

Moreover, organisations typically deploy an average of ten different GenAI platforms monthly. Many operate without management oversight, which increases the likelihood of accidental data leaks, ransomware infiltration, and AI-assisted attacks.

Globally, it affirmed that education remains the most heavily targeted sector, while Schools and universities face 4,364 attacks per week, a 12% increase year-on-year, followed closely by government and telecommunications entities.

Regionally, Latin America recorded the highest weekly attack volumes at 3,110 (+33% YoY), while APAC, Africa, Europe, and North America also experienced substantial increases.

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According to it,ransomware continues to wreak havoc worldwide, with 678 publicly reported incidents in January, up 10% from the previous year.

In the same vein, it mentioned that North America suffered the greatest share, accounting for more than half of all cases, while the U.S. alone represented nearly half of global victims.

It confirmed thatthose leading ransomware groups included Qilin (15%), LockBit (12%), and Akira (9%), primarily targeting business services, consumer goods, and industrial manufacturing sectors, where operational disruptions provide maximum leverage for extortion.

Check Point, therefore, continues to advocate for a prevention-first, AI-powered approach to cybersecurity.

Through its Infinity Platform, the company protects over 100,000 organisations worldwide while unifying management across cloud, on-premises, and workspace environments, ensuring organisations stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats.