Eliud Owalo, the Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy, has officially confirmed a cyber-attack on the eCitizen platform. In an interview on Spice FM, Owalo acknowledged the reported hacking incident that occurred recently.
He expressed that such cyber-attacks are not uncommon, considering their prevalence worldwide. However, the government is actively addressing the situation and is not merely implementing short-term measures but rather developing a comprehensive risk mitigation framework.
During the latest attack, the hackers attempted to overwhelm the system with an excessive number of requests, resulting in a slowdown. Fortunately, the authorities promptly responded and resolved the issue. Owalo assured the public that no data was accessed or lost during the attack.
Despite the cyber-attack, Owalo emphasized the importance of continuing the digitization of services and adopting advanced technological solutions without fear of risks. The key, according to him, lies in establishing a robust risk mitigation framework to ensure sustainable digitalization.
The Ministry has already taken stringent security measures to protect the eCitizen platform from potential data breaches in the future. Furthermore, the government has formed a specialized team responsible for proactively monitoring global cyber security trends. This multifaceted team will learn from international best practices in cyber threat mitigation and develop appropriate measures to safeguard the nation’s digital infrastructure.
While concerns arose due to the cyber-attack, with some Kenyans experiencing difficulties accessing the eCitizen platform, Owalo assured that the authorities are diligently working to resolve the issues.
The eCitizen platform serves as a centralized hub for over 5,000 government services from various ministries, county governments, and agencies, streamlining access to these services for citizens.
