Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team indicate Ethiopia is becoming a hotbed for cyber attackers.
According to Amin Hasbini, Head of META Research Center –Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team, exploits on abuse of software vulnerabilities or weaknesses that are leveraged by attackers to gain unauthorized access, control systems, or execute malicious code are on a rise, through ransomware, a malicious software that encrypts victims’ files or systems, demanding a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption key.
As the analyst enlightened, specifically in April and May 2023, traces from Kaspersky Global Research underground monitoring, pointed out a hacker team called Mysterious Team Bangladesh (MTB) which targeted the online services of at least 10 Ethiopian governmental, energy and banking institutions which distributed denial of service attacks.
Amin indicated that different and varied cyber-attacks have been witnessed in Ethiopia, from traditional cybercriminal gangs, to advanced attacker groups through cloud computing which has targeted the country multiple times in the past few years.
“Some of these attacks were found to be sourced from the region while some were global,” stated Amin.
A data conducted by Kaspersky Global Research showed in 2023 alone, Ethiopia witnessed about 18,000 attacks and 30,000 ransomware.
“These attacks can take down the online services of entities, blocking users and clients from accessing them, sometimes for hours and up to days or week,” Amin elaborated.
Other underground traces pointing to Ethiopian organizations and users being targeted with different kinds of cyber threats, such as ransomware, personal data theft or data leaks, have also been seen.
“Many cyber-attacks stay hidden or go unnoticed, it’s hard to estimate the cost incurred. Every institution can estimate the cost as a result of being cut out of service and/or having data stolen or leaked. The damage is not limited to financial losses, but extends to reputation and impact on critical infrastructure or national security as well,” opined Amin while speaking about Ethiopia’s losses to the ruthless cyber attacks.
Despite the Information Network Security Administration (INSA) indicating that it had responded to 4422 cyber-attacks and attempted attacks in the country during the last nine months of the 2022/23 budget year; gaps were seen as 4,272 were accordingly responded to, while 150 caused damage.
Kaspersky is a Russian multinational cyber-security and anti-virus provider headquartered in Moscow, Russia, and operated by a holding company in the United Kingdom.

Authorities in Djibouti alert Ethiopian customers that the latest new scheme that will be introduced on June 15, will not include them.
Recently, the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority (DPFZA) announced that it will apply the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) for incoming cargos on to the ports in Djibouti as from the middle of June.
From the announcement sent to Capital, the DPFZA informed all importers, exporters, shipping lines, customs authority, freight forwarders and logistics companies, that the electronic information system, ECTN, will officially be launched soon.
As per the scheme, exporters must obtain an ECTN from the platform, which was developed for the new system, when loading containers destined for all Djibouti ports. It added that the ECTN document should be obtained from the port of loading by the shippers, exporters, or freight forwarders and the ECTN number must be written on the bill of loading.
“To obtain an electronic tracking document ECTN: bill of loading, commercial invoice and freight invoice is required,” read the announcement issued on May 31.
It added that the purpose of the implantation of ECTN system is for the security and safety of the infrastructure, assets and cargo in the ports facilities.
According to the information that was posted on ctndjibouti.com ECTN has a fee of USD 100 for a twenty feet container and USD 150 for a forty feet box.
As sources explain, this has led to confusion amongst Ethiopian customers, who are the major clients for ports in Djibouti.
However, sources in Djibouti told Capital that the latest announcement does not include customers in Ethiopia. They added that the relevant body in Djibouti sent an official email for Ethiopian logistics representatives in Djibouti on Monday June 5, which was prior to the trip taken by logistics sector leaders from Ethiopia to Djibouti.
Accordingly, sources told Capital that a delegation led by Abdulber Shemsu, Director General of Ethiopian Maritime Authority, a regulatory body in the logistics sector, and Berisso Amallo, CEO of ESL, a state owned logistics giant with the control of multimodal, travelled to Djibouti on Tuesday, June 6 and stayed there for four days.
Sources could however not confirm that the issue was raised by officials on the visit at the Ethiopian port hub.
Referenced from the company’s twitter, DPFZA on June 7, through the Chairman of the Authority, Aboubaker Omar Hadi, met with the Ethiopian delegation at Djibouti International Tower.
The tweet cited discussions focused on establishing the corridor management between the two countries and extending it across other countries in the region, “Experts from both sides were present to conduct joint inspection missions.”
“The Chairman emphasized on Ethiopia to increase the movement of imports and exports of goods. He reiterated that Djibouti will invest even more in its infrastructure in order to adapt to Ethiopia’s economic growth,” it added.
Logistics leaders at ESL, who take about the highest percent as a client in Djibouti as well as other private actors expressed that they don’t expect the scheme to be applied for Ethiopian customers.
“Now we have confirmed that the new system does not include us,” a top leader at ESL told Capital.
In light of the announcement, ESL had conducted a study regarding the new scheme, on the feasibility and plausible effect on its customers. As per the study, the new scheme may have additional expenses up to USD 36 million per annum.
However, experts in the logistics sector including ESL told Capital that ECTN is not new as it is an initiative supported by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) on the aim to boost the logistics sector and its facilities.
As a pilot, it was tested in a single shipment about ten years ago between Djibouti and Ethiopia.
Several African countries require the official loading documentation known as the ECTN. Port authorities claim that the aim of the ECTN is to contribute to the substantial reduction of risk, real-time monitoring and reliable assessments of import goods, their shippers, importers, and other details.
Many countries in the African continent require exporters to notify Custom Authorities about the shipment details before they arrive. The Cargo Tracking Note system facilitates this requirement.
The ECTN certificate contains in-depth information about products, how they were transported between ports, and how long it took. This document is mandatory for all shipments that will be unloaded regardless of final destination.
Before arrival at the port, every shipment to a country requiring an ECTN must be accompanied by the ECTN certificate. With this certification, destination port authorities receive all necessary information prior to the shipment’s arrival, facilitating customs clearance for your products.

Preparations get underway for the effervescent East African Finance Summit, an annual event that brings together financial experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from across the region to discuss the state of the financial industry and its development.
The summit is gearing to be hosted this week on June 15–16, 2023, in Addis Ababa at the Skylight Hotel.
The event, which aims to promote financial inclusion and innovation as well as foster collaboration among stakeholders, will be held under the theme, “Emerging Frontiers in Africa’s Finance Sector: Regional Integration, Innovation, and Access to Finance.”
The Summit was co-organized by the Capital Africa Institute, Jimma University, the Association of Ethiopian Insurers, and the Ethiopian Professional Association of Accountants and Auditors.
“The theme highlights the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to drive innovation and improve access to financial services across the continent. The summit is said to bring together experts from various fields, including finance, technology, and policy, to discuss ways to promote regional integration and enhance financial inclusion in Africa,” highlighted Gemechu Waktola, founder and CEO of I-Capital.
As he indicated, with a view of creating a multilateral dialogue among leading industry experts, researchers, financial institution representatives, executives, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and government officials in the region, more than 300 participants are expected to participate in the event to share their insights and knowledge on the latest trends and developments in the sector.
“In the last five editions, we have raised certain issues regarding the financial sector of Ethiopia and the East African region as well. And we have witnessed that those issues have been addressed over time,” says Gemechu, adding that it is now time to talk about regional integration, innovation, and access to finance.
“Moving forward, it is crucial to focus on regional integration, innovation, and increased access to finance. A robust financial system, exploring new technologies and approaches, and fostering collaboration between countries are essential for a strong financial sector,” the CEO elaborated.
The East African Finance Summit was first held in 2016 in Addis Ababa.
“The whole intention of the summit is to bring dynamism to the finance sector through discussion and networking, bringing best practices from other countries to the room, and creating a platform to discuss such things as challenges, opportunities and current trends in the sector,” said Gemechu, whilst depicting the core essence of the summit.

Ethio Telecom pens a memorandum of understanding with Addis Ababa City Administration to implement Addis Ababa’s smart city project through the deployment of a wide area network (SD-WAN Network).
This new move is said to be pivotal in that it will enable easy interconnection of various bureaus, service rendering institutions, and the city administration with one main data center.

“The project will utilize state-of-the-art information communication technologies, contributing to the city’s growth as Africa’s headquarters and the seat of international organizations,” stated the duo during the signing ceremony held on June 6, 2023 at the Skylight hotel.
The project is also said to make Addis Ababa a technology hub, modernizing residents’ lifestyles whilst addressing data security concerns. Furthermore, the latest operating systems featured are stated as high-quality, reliable, and efficient, which enable quality services and maximize service provision capacity.
Recently, Ethio telecom also commenced the implementation of Adama City’s Smart City Project and will continue to make digital Ethiopia a reality by providing technology and digital solutions to similar institutions in Ethiopia.