The incidence of cyber-attacks in Kenya has reached a concerning level.
The Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) Cabinet Secretary, Eliud Owalo has acknowledged that the government’s eCitizen was targeted by a cyber attack carried out by an anonymous group of hackers.
“They tried jamming the system by making more than ordinary requests, thus slowing down the entire system. Thankfully, no data was lost during the attack, and the government is working tirelessly to resolve the issue and enhance the website’s security,” Mr Owalo noted in a recent interview on SpiceFM.
The Cabinet Secretary stated that cyber-attacks have become common globally in this technological era, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive risk mitigation framework.
Mr Owalo assured the public that the government is not only focused on addressing the current situation but also implementing sustainable measures to safeguard against future attacks.
He emphasized that the government had anticipated such attacks, leading to the establishment of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC).
Over the past four days, many Kenyans have taken to social media to complain about the unavailability of government services through the digital portal, which displays an error when attempting to log in.
The CS stated that the digital portal’s functionality would be fully restored by the end of the day.