Online threats invade Africa

File sharing networks, online money making schemes, and mobile platforms such as Android are the new preferred way of spreading malicious software and viruses via the Internet, according to security company Kapersky Lab, writes the East African publication, according to ITNews Africa.

Global Internet threats for this year indicate an increase in Internet activity in the East Africa region, as a result of the linkage to two undersea fibre optic cables in 2009, and consequently more vulnerability to virus attacks.

“Until recently, cyber criminals did not focus on African users because of the slow Internet connection links. However, with the landing of Seacom, this is set to change and African IT managers must be prepared for it”, said Gary Kondakov, Kapersky Lab MD.

Africa's MTN Group is moving its technical services support team to Dubai, says Arabian Business.

MTN says the move is intended to address the challenge of supporting the group's networks in the Middle East and certain parts of Africa.

According to the company, the Middle East and North Africa region is its fastest growing region, with Iran seeing the biggest growth.

Zain's mobile money transfer service, Zap, is rolling out into other African markets following its success in East Africa last year, reports The Independent.

Zain says Zap will expand into Niger, Sierra Leone and a full commercial pilot project in Malawi.

Saad Al Barrak, the group chief executive, says: “We have recorded the impact Zap has made in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and we are confident of a similar impact in Malawi, Niger and Sierra Leone, where formal banking services are largely restricted to urban hubs.”