Over 100 cyber attacks targeting key government infrastructure recorded in eight months

There were over 100 attempts to breach critical government information infrastructure between January and August 2024, according to a report presented to Parliament.

The report highlights the growing vulnerability of public institutions and individuals as the country increasingly digitises and migrates services to online platforms.

The report indicates that the rising reliance on web-based services has left institutions exposed to cyber threats such as malware, social engineering, online fraud, and cyberbullying.

These threats have led to service disruptions, espionage, subversion, and financial losses.

The Annual Report on the State of National Security, covering September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2024, describes a cybersecurity environment that has become increasingly volatile due to technological advancements and greater global connectivity.

The report notes that cyberspace now includes a broad spectrum of risks that threaten national critical information infrastructure (CII), user groups, and organisations.

"For instance, between January and August 2024, government agencies recorded 114 cyber-attacks targeting key critical information infrastructure. Additionally, the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies has introduced both opportunities and challenges in the cybersecurity landscape," Ruto said in the report.

The report, required annually under Article 240(7) of the Constitution and Section 16 of the National Security Council (NSC) Act, was presented by President William Ruto, who chairs the National Security Council. He highlighted that while AI offers various benefits, it also presents new risks and challenges that could be exploited by malicious actors to compromise security.

"The dynamism in the cybersecurity domain continues to pose challenges, including the lag in adopting appropriate cybersecurity tools and technologies. This has resulted in greater anonymity of offenders, limited monitoring capabilities, and inadequate detection and response," Ruto said.

President William Ruto giving his State of the Nation address. (PCS)

The report also noted the widespread issue of insufficient cybersecurity awareness among the public, which makes citizens vulnerable to risks such as attacks on mobile devices and banking fraud.

In response to these threats, the government has introduced several initiatives, including the formulation of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Management Regulations (2024) to improve information sharing and coordinate incident response.

A multi-agency approach has also been adopted to address growing cyber threats. Additionally, the government has established the National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team (KE-CIRT) under the Communications Authority to monitor and manage cyber threats.

President Ruto assured that the government would continue to safeguard the country’s cyberspace through partnerships with national, multilateral, and related organisations. He said the government is also investing in modern tools and expertise for law enforcement agencies and cybercrime units while pursuing policy and legislative reforms.

Recently, the Communications Authority (CA) raised concerns about the rising use of AI-powered cyber-attacks. It noted that the attacks use algorithms to enhance traditional methods of cybercrime, making them more sophisticated and difficult to detect.

The CA’s cybersecurity report revealed that the National KE-CIRT/CC detected 657.8 million cyber threats in the three months leading to September 2024, down from 1.1 billion in the previous quarter.

The majority of these attacks exploited system vulnerabilities, with AI-enabled attacks, botnets, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) techniques leading the trend.

"Cybercriminals are increasingly using AI-enabled attacks to enhance the efficiency and magnitude of their operations. They leverage AI and machine learning to automate the creation of phishing emails and other types of social engineering," CA Director-General David Mugonyi said.

Experts have emphasised the need for constant vigilance and ongoing investment in cybersecurity to counter the evolving threats posed by AI-driven cybercrime.