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Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Kenya records 201% surge in cybercrime as AI-powered threats escalate
Kenya is grappling with a dramatic surge in cybercrime, as the country recorded a staggering 201.7% rise in cybersecurity threats within the first quarter of 2025. Kenya recorded a 201.7% increase in cybersecurity threats during Q1 2025, reaching 2.5 billion incidents. The Communications Authority of Kenya issued 13.2 million advisories, up 14.2% from the previous quarter, to address these threats. Artificial intelligence is enabling more rapid and sophisticated cyber threats, as noted by the World Economic Forum. According to the latest sector statistics released by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), cyber threats skyrocketed to 2.5 billion incidents, up from 840.9 million in the previous quarter. This alarming rise is one of the sharpest in recent years and highlights growing vulnerabilities across critical sectors such as finance, telecommunications, and government systems. Spike in advisories and vulnerabilities In response, the CA issued 13.2 million cybersecurity advisories, marking a 14.2% increase from 11.6 million advisories the previous quarter. The most significant growth was observed in system vulnerabilities, which surged by 228.3% to 2.47 billion threats, compared to 752.4 million previously. These vulnerabilities include unpatched software, weak passwords, outdated encryption methods, and insecure network configurations, common weaknesses that attackers exploit to gain access. Web application attacks, targeting vulnerabilities in websites and online platforms, also rose by 11.8%, reaching 5.08 million threats. These attacks often aim to steal data, disrupt services, or gain unauthorised access. Decline in other attack types Interestingly, not all threat categories saw an increase. The report notes a decline in several traditional cyberattack methods: DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks: down by 76% Mobile application attacks: down by 51% Malware: down by 28% Brute force attacks: down by 3% The rise in cyber threats is attributed in part to the increasing sophistication of cybercriminal networks. A study by the World Economic Forum (WEF) reveals that cyberattacks now take less than four days to execute, compared to about 60 days in 2019. According to the WEF, this speed is driven by artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, which are now being used by threat actors to write code and generate more sophisticated forms of malware and ransomware. 'Threat actors are already using AI-powered language models like ChatGPT to write code,' the report states. 'Generative AI is helping even less experienced hackers create new ransomware strains, significantly increasing attack volumes.' The WEF also warns that the widespread ownership of smartphones, laptops, and tablets is creating a vast attack surface for cybercriminals. 'We expect increased use of AI by malicious actors in the near future,' the report concludes, 'making it urgent to implement stronger, more adaptive cybersecurity measures.'
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Learn, unlearn, relearn to succeed: Minister Sridhar to students
HYDERABAD: IT Minister D Sridhar Babu said that in today's fast-changing world, outdated knowledge must be discarded to embrace new learning for success. He was addressing students at the 'MATA – TASK Free Online IT Training' certificate distribution ceremony at the TASK headquarters in Masab Tank on Tuesday. 'Learn, unlearn and relearn is now the definitive formula for success,' he said, urging students to stay updated with emerging technologies. Citing NASSCOM data, he pointed out that nearly 50% of graduates lack the skills needed for employment, especially in areas like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity and Cloud Computing. Referring to job loss fears, the minister quoted the World Economic Forum, saying while automation may replace 8.5 crore jobs by 2025, it will also create 9.7 crore new ones. He stressed that, along with degrees and technical skills, students must develop 21st-century competencies such as critical thinking, communication, teamwork, adaptability and emotional intelligence. 'A life without purpose is like a letter without an address. Set your goals early and work relentlessly towards them,' he told students.
Express Tribune
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
How 'Butter' became a feminist phenomenon
Butter is inspired by killer Kijima, who poisoned men she met online. Photo: AFP Japanese writer Asako Yuzuki did not expect her novel Butter to capture a cult following abroad, hailed as a biting feminist critique of sexism and body-shaming. Translated into English last year, the tale of murder and misogyny has whetted an insatiable appetite, selling 610,000 copies overseas, including 400,000 in Britain - more than Japan - where it won multiple awards. Yuzuki was inspired by the real-life story of Black Widow Kanae Kijima, a woman sentenced to death in 2012 for poisoning three men she met on dating sites. The sensationalised media coverage at the time largely focused on Kijima's appearance, speculating how someone described as homely and unattractive could be considered a femme fatale. Many credited her romantic success to her homemaking prowess — notably in the kitchen. "When the case broke, the Japanese media mainly remembered that the suspect liked to cook and took classes ... to 'please men'," Yuzuki told AFP in an interview. "That deeply disturbed me." In Butter, a journalist likewise disquieted by the portrayal of a Kijima-like character (renamed Kajii) writes to the jailed suspect, hoping to secure an exclusive interview by appealing to her gourmet tastes. Via a letter soliciting the beef stew recipe that Kajii reportedly fed her final victim, the pair begin an intimate and life-changing relationship. This proves a vehicle for Yuzuki to chew over the roots of misogyny in Japan, where traditional male and female roles still dominate and women are held to impossible beauty standards. In politics and boardrooms for example, women remain rare. Japan ranks 118 out of 146 in the World Economic Forum's 2025 Gender Gap Report. "Japan is a deeply patriarchal country. Very often, it is the father who occupies the central position within the family unit. This is the basis for laws even," Yuzuki said. 'Fatphobia' Food - particularly butter, that artery-blocking symbol of pleasure and excess — forms the molten core of the story. Through sumptuous descriptions of butter-rich ramen and lavishly buttered rice, Yuzuki explores the tension between indulging appetites and the self-denial required to fulfil the societal pressure on women to stay thin. "There is an incredible amount of adverts for weight loss, cosmetic surgery and diets. This country is obsessed with fatphobia," Yuzuki said. It is also tough for women in Japan, where the #MeToo movement never really took off, to speak out about discrimination and sexual assault. Shiori Ito, a journalist who took the rare step of publicly accusing a prominent Japanese TV reporter of rape — a charge he denies — is a case in point. Ito's documentary Black Box Diaries, which was nominated for an Oscar, was not released in Japan because it used material recorded clandestinely or intended for judicial use only. "In other countries, especially the United States, from the beginning of #MeToo, many well-known journalists have seriously investigated these cases, and it is because this information was made public officially that the victims were able to be protected," Yuzuki said. But in Japan, "women who have had the courage to speak out are reduced to the role of activists and consumed by the media within that framework," she said. Another example is Masahiro Nakai, a boyband member and a star TV presenter accused of sexual assault. He initially disputed the facts and then apologised. The scandal shone a spotlight on the toxic culture of young women being pressed into attending dinners and drinking parties with powerful figures. "What strikes me is this uninterrupted chain of sexual violence, and especially that these are crimes committed within one organisation, covered up by another organisation... that of the media," Yuzuki said. Yuzuki is convinced that change can only come from outside. "When foreigners take up a topic, especially the English-language media, it completely changes the way it is perceived in Japan," she said. "If the European media" continue to be interested in these issues, then "the situation could perhaps change a little."
Japan Today
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
'Butter': The foodie feminist bestseller skewering sexism in Japan
Japanese author Asako Yuzuki's novel '"Butter" was inspired by the real-life story of "Black Widow" Kanae Kijima, who poisoned three men she met on dating sites. By Caroline GARDIN Japanese writer Asako Yuzuki did not expect her novel "Butter" to capture a cult following abroad, hailed as a biting feminist critique of sexism and body-shaming. Translated into English last year, the tale of murder and misogyny has whetted an insatiable appetite, selling 610,000 copies overseas, including 400,000 in Britain -- more than Japan -- where it won multiple awards. Yuzuki was inspired by the real-life story of "Black Widow" Kanae Kijima, a woman sentenced to death in 2012 for poisoning three men she met on dating sites. The sensationalized media coverage at the time largely focused on Kijima's appearance, speculating how someone described as homely and unattractive could be considered a femme fatale. Many credited her romantic success to her homemaking prowess -- notably in the kitchen. "When the case broke, the Japanese media mainly remembered that the suspect liked to cook and took classes ... to 'please men'," Yuzuki told AFP in an interview. "That deeply disturbed me." In "Butter", a journalist likewise disquieted by the portrayal of a Kijima-like character (renamed Kajii) writes to the jailed suspect, hoping to secure an exclusive interview by appealing to her gourmet tastes. Via a letter soliciting the beef stew recipe that Kajii reportedly fed her final victim, the pair begin an intimate and life-changing relationship. This proves a vehicle for Yuzuki to chew over the roots of misogyny in Japan, where traditional male and female roles still dominate and women are held to impossible beauty standards. In politics and boardrooms for example, women remain rare. Japan ranks 118 out of 146 in the World Economic Forum's 2025 Gender Gap Report. "Japan is a deeply patriarchal country. Very often, it is the father who occupies the central position within the family unit. This is the basis for laws even," Yuzuki said. Food -- particularly butter, that artery-blocking symbol of pleasure and excess -- forms the molten core of the story. Through sumptuous descriptions of butter-rich ramen and lavishly buttered rice, Yuzuki explores the tension between indulging appetites and the self-denial required to fulfill the societal pressure on women to stay thin. "There is an incredible amount of adverts for weight loss, cosmetic surgery and diets. This country is obsessed with fatphobia," Yuzuki said. It is also tough for women in Japan, where the #MeToo movement never really took off, to speak out about discrimination and sexual assault. Shiori Ito, a journalist who took the rare step of publicly accusing a prominent Japanese TV reporter of rape -- a charge he denies -- is a case in point. Ito's documentary "Black Box Diaries", which was nominated for an Oscar, was not released in Japan because it used material recorded clandestinely or intended for judicial use only. "In other countries, especially the United States, from the beginning of #MeToo, many well-known journalists have seriously investigated these cases, and it is because this information was made public officially that the victims were able to be protected," Yuzuki said. But in Japan, "women who have had the courage to speak out are reduced to the role of activists and consumed by the media within that framework," she said. Another example is Masahiro Nakai, a boyband member and a star TV presenter accused of sexual assault. He initially disputed the facts and then apologized. The scandal shone a spotlight on the toxic culture of young women being pressed into attending dinners and drinking parties with powerful figures. "What strikes me is this uninterrupted chain of sexual violence, and especially that these are crimes committed within one organization, covered up by another organization... that of the media," Yuzuki said. Yuzuki is convinced that change can only come from outside. "When foreigners take up a topic, especially the English-language media, it completely changes the way it is perceived in Japan," she said. "If the European media" continue to be interested in these issues, then "the situation could perhaps change a little." © 2025 AFP
NZ Herald
12 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Asako Yuzuki's novel ‘Butter' captivates global audience with feminist critique of her country
'When the case broke, the Japanese media mainly remembered that the suspect liked to cook and took classes ... to 'please men',' Yuzuki told AFP in an interview. 'That deeply disturbed me.' In Butter, a journalist likewise disquieted by the portrayal of a Kijima-like character (renamed Kajii) writes to the jailed suspect, hoping to secure an exclusive interview by appealing to her gourmet tastes. Via a letter soliciting the beef stew recipe that Kajii reportedly fed her final victim, the pair begin an intimate and life-changing relationship. This proves a vehicle for Yuzuki to chew over the roots of misogyny in Japan, where traditional male and female roles still dominate and women are held to impossible beauty standards. In politics and boardrooms, for example, women remain rare. Japan ranks No 118 out of 146 in the World Economic Forum's 2025 Gender Gap Report. 'Japan is a deeply patriarchal country. Very often, it is the father who occupies the central position within the family unit. This is the basis for laws even,' Yuzuki said. Food – particularly butter, that artery-blocking symbol of pleasure and excess – forms the molten core of the story. Through sumptuous descriptions of butter-rich ramen and lavishly buttered rice, Yuzuki explores the tension between indulging appetites and the self-denial required to fulfil the societal pressure on women to stay thin. 'There is an incredible amount of adverts for weight loss, cosmetic surgery and diets. This country is obsessed with fatphobia,' Yuzuki said. It is also tough for women in Japan, where the #MeToo movement never really took off, to speak out about discrimination and sexual assault. Shiori Ito, a journalist who took the rare step of publicly accusing a prominent Japanese TV reporter of rape – a charge he denies – is a case in point. Ito's documentary Black Box Diaries, which was nominated for an Oscar, was not released in Japan because it used material recorded clandestinely or intended for judicial use only. 'In other countries, especially the United States, from the beginning of #MeToo, many well-known journalists have seriously investigated these cases, and it is because this information was made public officially that the victims were able to be protected,' Yuzuki said. But in Japan, 'women who have had the courage to speak out are reduced to the role of activists and consumed by the media within that framework,' she said. Another example is Masahiro Nakai, a boy band member and a star TV presenter accused of sexual assault. He initially disputed the facts and then apologised. The scandal shone a spotlight on the toxic culture of young women being pressed into attending dinners and drinking parties with powerful figures. 'What strikes me is this uninterrupted chain of sexual violence, and especially that these are crimes committed within one organisation, covered up by another organisation ... that of the media,' Yuzuki said. Yuzuki is convinced that change can only come from outside. 'When foreigners take up a topic, especially the English-language media, it completely changes the way it is perceived in Japan,' she said. 'If the European media' continue to be interested in these issues, then 'the situation could perhaps change a little'. -Agence France-Presse
