- Several government websites went offline on Monday in a coordinated cyber attack that left critical systems damaged
- Hackers posted political and ideological messages while disrupting online services related to central ministries and public systems
- The government has confirmed the group behind the breach and expressed immediate efforts to deal with the current situation
Several important government websites went offline after a coordinated cyber attack that targeted major government systems in different ministries.
Source: Twitter
Users who tried to access the sites on Monday, November 17, found pages defaced with political slogans and altered images.
Which government websites were hacked?
A review by TUKO.co.ke showed that the affected systems included the official portal of the President William Rutoas well as the websites of the Ministry of Health, Education, Labour, Environment, ICT, Tourism, Palace and Interior.
Systems related to the Hustler Fund, State Media, the State Department of Immigration and Nairobi County were also disrupted, leaving many Kenyans unable to access basic services.
The attackers posted messages such as “Access denied by PCP”, “We will rise again”, “worldwide power” and “14:88 Heil Hitler”. Another verse said, “ABSA is working with us; so are your local politicians.”
Which group hacked Kenyan government websites?
The Department of Internal Security and National Administration issued an official document signed by Secretary General Raymond Omollo, naming the group behind the incident and informing the public of ongoing rescue efforts.
“The attack is suspected to have been carried out by a group identified as PCP@Kenya,” part of the statement read.
According to the Secretary General, the attack caused various government websites to be accessed.
He said the government launched a multi-agency response to minimize damage and restore services.
“The situation has stabilized, and all affected services are now being closely monitored,” Omollo said.
The circular advised Kenyans to remain vigilant and report any suspicious online activity to KE CIRT, NC4 and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
The Secretary General also highlighted the legal consequences facing the attackers. The breach violates the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act, the Information and Communications Act of Kenya and the Data Protection Act.
Those linked to the attack will face charges as soon as they are identified.
Omollo added that protecting digital infrastructure remains a priority as more public services go online.
“We are strengthening our resilience through collaboration with the private sector and other partners. Cyber security is an important part of our digital transformation plan,” he said.
Investigations are ongoing, with security agencies monitoring any further activities linked to the group.
Source: Facebook
Who compromised eCitizen in 2023?
In July 2023, the eCitizen platform went offline after a major cybersecurity incident that disrupted access to more than 5,000 government services.
Officials said the attempted intrusion overwhelmed the system with heavy traffic, making it unreachable for many users.
The Ministry of Interior later confirmed that services had been restored, saying the outage resulted from a coordinated flood of requests sent from multiple sources.
Anonymous Sudan claimed responsibility and warned of more disruptions. The group also targeted other institutions, including banks and state agencies, throughout the same period.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
