The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has raised alarm over a new artificial intelligence-powered malware known as DeepLoad, warning that the cyber threat is actively targeting Nigerian government agencies, financial institutions, businesses, and individuals.
The agency disclosed this in a critical advisory issued on May 6 through its Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT.NG) and shared via its official X account.
The warning comes amid a growing wave of cyber-attacks targeting Nigerian organisations, including private institutions such as banks and government agencies like the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
What they are saying
According to NITDA, DeepLoad is an AI-enhanced malware strain designed to infiltrate systems, steal sensitive information, and evade conventional antivirus detection systems. The agency explained that the malware spreads through deceptive website prompts that trick users into executing malicious commands on their computers.
- “The malware is distributed through a social engineering technique involving fake website error,” the advisory stated.
NITDA further explained that once activated, the malware silently embeds itself within infected systems and begins harvesting credentials and sensitive information from major web browsers.
- “Once executed, DeepLoad silently installs itself, harvests stored credentials and sensitive data from major browsers, and leverages artificial intelligence to evade antivirus detection,” the agency said.
The advisory noted that one of the most dangerous features of the malware is its ability to remain persistent even after attempted removal. According to NITDA, DeepLoad uses a hidden Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)-based mechanism capable of restoring the infection days later.
- “Critically, the malware incorporates a hidden WMI-based persistence mechanism capable of reactivating the infection up to three days after apparent removal,” it stated.
The agency warned that the severity of the threat requires immediate action from both organisations and individuals.
- “Given its severity and confirmed active targeting of Nigerian entities, all organizations and individuals must implement the protective measures outlined in this advisory immediately,” NITDA added.
How DeepLoad malware affects Nigerian organisations
NITDA said individuals, government institutions, businesses, large organisations, and small enterprises are all vulnerable to the rapidly evolving cyber threat posed by DeepLoad.
- According to the agency, a successful DeepLoad infection could grant cybercriminals unauthorised access to bank accounts, mobile money services, and payment cards. The malware can also steal passwords, documents, and sensitive personal information stored on web browsers.
The agency warned that the stolen data could be used for identity fraud, enabling criminals to impersonate victims for financial gain.
For organisations, NITDA said infections could lead to operational disruptions requiring complete system isolation and remediation processes. It also warned that attacks on government systems could compromise classified networks and pose risks to national security.
Security measures to prevent DeepLoad malware
To prevent infections, NITDA advised Nigerians never to paste commands from websites into their computers, noting that legitimate software providers do not request such actions.
- The agency also warned users against opening suspicious files such as “Chrome Setup” or ‘Firefox Installer’ from USB drives and advised scanning all external storage devices with antivirus software before use.
- NITDA further recommended enabling two-factor authentication on important accounts and avoiding storing banking passwords directly on web browsers.
- For organisations, the agency advised companies to immediately sensitise staff about the DeepLoad threat, enable PowerShell Script Block Logging across Windows systems, and review browser extensions for unauthorised installations.
- The advisory also recommended blocking malicious domains, including holiday-updateservice[.]com, forest-entity[.]cc, and hell1-kitty[.]cc, at firewall and DNS levels.
Additionally, organisations were urged to check for hidden WMI Event Subscriptions that could allow the malware to survive standard cleanup procedures.
NITDA said institutions that suspect infections should disconnect affected systems from the internet immediately, change all passwords from clean devices, isolate compromised systems, activate incident response teams, and report incidents to the agency within 72 hours as required by law.
What you should know
The latest warning adds to growing concerns over cyber attacks targeting Nigeria’s financial and digital infrastructure in recent months.
- In April, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) warned about coordinated cyber threats targeting Nigeria’s financial systems and key digital infrastructure, urging organisations to strengthen their data protection architecture.
The warning also came weeks after the commission announced an investigation into an alleged data breach involving Remita Payment Services, Sterling Bank, and other entities.
Similarly, the Corporate Affairs Commission temporarily shut down its website between April 17 and April 20, 2026, following reports that about 25 million documents may have been exfiltrated during a suspected cyber attack.
