Kenya has experienced a significant increase in cyber-attacks this year, with a staggering 860 million incidents, the highest ever recorded, according to the Communications Authority (CA).
The CA has observed a rise in the frequency, complexity, and scale of cyber threats aimed at the country’s critical computer systems in 2023.
“In the last 12 months alone, the attacks have skyrocketed to a new high of 860 million cyber-attacks.
Of these attacks, 79% were a result of cyber criminals exploiting flaws and vulnerabilities in organizations’ internal controls, system procedures, and information systems, which they used to gain unauthorized access to the computer systems,” the authority says in a new statement.
Comparatively, six years ago, Kenya faced just 7.7 million cyber-attacks annually.
“Malicious software accounted for 14% of the attacks, while Distributed Denial of Services (DDoS) accounted for 6.5%, followed by attacks targeted at web applications,” the communications regulator adds.
The CA reports that Kenya is now among the top three countries in Africa most frequently targeted by cyber-attacks, with Nigeria and South Africa taking the lead.
In July, Kenya experienced a significant cyber-attack on the eCitizen platform, affecting access to over 5,000 government services provided by ministries, county governments, and agencies.
The attack was carried out by a group identifying themselves as Anonymous Sudan.
Fortunately, no data was lost during this incident.
A January 2023 report from the CA reveals that the industries most targeted by cybercriminals in Kenya include financial services, healthcare, education, energy and utilities, and government agencies.
These sectors have become prime targets for cyber-attacks in the country.