NITDA issues warning about new “Deepload” Malware

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has raised the alarm on a new malware named Deepload targeting Nigerian government agencies, banks, businesses, and individuals.

NITDA issued the warning via a Critical Advisory titled “Deepload AI-Powered Malware actively targeting Nigerian organisations,” which provided a breakdown of the threat and recommended actions organisations can take to protect their systems from the malware.

” A sucessful Deepload infection can result in unauthorised access to bank accounts, mobile money services, and payment cards, theft of saved passwords, documents, and Personal information saved in web browsers, identity fraud, enabling criminals to impersonate victims for financial gain,” the critical advisory read in parts.

The advisory highlighted Government agencies and public institutions, banks and financial institutions, Critical infrastructure operators, Businesses of all sizes, and individuals using online banking as the most vulnerable group Deepload.

How Deepload Works with AI to Evade Anti-Virus Detection

Deepload is a highly sophisticated malware leveraging Artificial Intelligence to evade Anti-Virus detection. Deepload is distributed through Social engineering involving fake website error messages. Users are fooled into pasting a malicious command into their computer.

When Deepload infects a system, it silently installs itself. It then harvests stored credentials and sensitive data from web browsers and evades detection.

At the core of the Deepload setup is a hidden WMI-based persistence mechanism. This is capable of reactivating the infection up to three days after apparent removal. This makes the malware akin to a virus refusing medications, a nightmare for cybersecurity experts. Deepload is another product of the booming Malware as a Service industry. Bad actors develop all manner of Malware and sell it to cyber criminals. These criminals use it on vulnerable individuals and organisations.

Recommended Actions Against Deepload

Concluding its critical advisory, NITDA highlighted some recommended actions. These actions could help reduce the threat of Deepload as well as protect the systems from the malware.

• Never paste a command into your website. Legitimate software never asks for this.
• Do not open file named” Chrome Setup” or “Firefox Installer” from USB drives. Scan all USB devices with Antivirus before use.
• Enable 2FA in all accounts and avoid saving bank passwords on your browser.
• Organisations should sensitize staff about Deepload and include Cyber Security best practices in operational guides.
• If infection is suspected, disconnect from the Internet immediately. Change all passwords from a clean device. Isolate affected systems, activate your incident response team, and report to NITDA within 72 hours as required by the law.

The Malware industry is driving a wave of sophisticated attacks combining social engineering with advanced technology to get the best of users. Social engineering and the human factor remain the biggest loopholes in cybersecurity, demanding more robust awareness campaigns from regulatory agencies like NITDA.

Last updated: May 7, 2026