0:00Media reports have said hackers have altered the presidency’s website with messages critical of <a href="https://absafricatv.com/mexicos-president-to-attend-world-cup-final-at-trumps-invitation/” title=”Mexico's president to attend World Cup final at Trump's invitation”>President William Ruto.
Per-Anders Pettersson/
Kenya temporarily shut down the presidency’s website on Saturday after what local media reported was a cyber attack that included a ransom demand.
Media reports said hackers had altered the site’s homepage with messages critical of President William Ruto. They had also demanded five bitcoins (around $325 000), threatening to release unspecified information unless paid.
Information Minister William Kabogo Gitau acknowledged an “incident” affecting the website but stopped short of describing it as a hack.
“Access to the Presidential website was temporarily restricted to facilitate containment, forensic analysis and restoration efforts,” he said in a statement.
An AFP journalist found the site inaccessible on Saturday.
Gitau said there was “no evidence” that sensitive government data had been accessed or stolen. State digital systems remained “secure and operational”, he added.
READ |SA Treasury hack: Microsoft ‘moderately confident’ it knows who culprits are
The incident comes months after cyberattacks targeted several Kenyan ministers and amid a sharp rise in cybercrime across Africa.
Interpol said last year that Kenya had recorded more than 12 000 cyber attacks or attempted attacks, one of the highest totals on the continent.
Next on News24
Algeria: Fire at orphanage kills 11, including children
description
username
Currencies
Commodities
Jse Indexes
Rand – Dollar
16.48
+0.1%
Rand – Pound
22.17
+0.1%
Rand – Euro
18.87
-0.0%
Rand – Aus dollar
11.51
+0.2%
Rand – Yen
0.10
+0.1%
Platinum
1,587.80
-0.5%
Palladium
1,249.00
0.0%
Gold
4,017.60
0.0%
Silver
55.95
+0.1%
Brent Crude
88.10
+4.4%
Top 40
101,222
-0.8%
ALSI
109,570
-0.7%
RESI 10
101,408
-0.7%
INDI 25
131,251
-1.1%
FINI 15
26,070
-0.4%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes
Cape Town family’s viral search for pensioner who left cash at ATM ends in joy
Now disabled people can enjoy KZN’s Scottburgh beach, thanks to one woman’s…
WATCH | Viral BMW security guard mocked by two customers gets R30 000 boost from…
LISTEN | How Zip Zap Circus went from love story to helping young people learn to fly
The Mansers Family Adventure: The brutal price of family travel
WATCH | When every second counts: Inside South Africa’s emergency response system
How young professionals are reshaping SA’s investment industry
Why training your mind could be the best investment you’ll make this year
