Kenyan presidential website hacked, 5 bitcoin ransom demanded

The Kenyan presidential website was compromised by hackers who demanded a 5 bitcoin ransom, equivalent to approximately 280,000 euros. Messages critical of Head of State William Ruto appeared on the homepage, with threats to release unspecified information if the demands were not met. The Kenyan government acknowledged an "incident" and temporarily closed the site for containment, forensic analysis, and restoration. Minister of Information William Kabogo Gitau stated that there was no indication of unauthorized access to sensitive data, data exfiltration, or information loss, and that government digital systems remain secure and operational. This incident raises concerns about digital security in Africa, where cybercrime is increasing, particularly in Kenya and South Africa. Several Kenyan ministries were also targeted by cyberattacks in November. In June 2025, Interpol reported a significant rise in cybercrime in West and East Africa, with online scam alerts increasing by up to 3,000% in some African countries over a year, including a rise in business ransomware attacks originating from the continent. Approximately 18,000 cyberattacks or attempts were detected in South Africa and over 12,000 in Kenya, both considered highly digitized economies. Some attacks affected critical infrastructure, such as the Kenya Urban Roads Authority KURA and Nigeria's National Bureau of Statistics NBS.