Nairobi — Thefts of passwords, credit card numbers, bank account details, and other confidential information are on the rise, according to a new report by Kaspersky, a Russian cybersecurity firm.

Its data shows that phishing attacks increased by 32 percent in Q3 of 2023, compared to Q2.

"Phishing attacks detected in Kenya in Q3 2023 increased by 32% compared to Q2 2023 and by 12% compared to Q3 2022," Kaspersky said.

Kenya also recorded 28 percent of attacks on industrial control systems (ICS) computers, which are used in the energy and mining sectors and automotive manufacturing, among others.

"Businesses today should be proactive and counter these cyberthreats with advanced technologies such as threat feeds, security information and event management systems," it added.

On attacks on internet of things (IoT) devices, Kenya trails Nigeria (28 percent) by 12 percent.

"Organisations should conduct regular cyber skill checkups among employees and offer competent training," Kaspersky recommends.

"Corporate users should be educated on potential privacy risks when working in virtual environments," it added.

"Install updates for the firmware used on digital devices (including virtual headsets) as soon as they become available."