Fresh cyberattack raises concerns over Kenya’s digital security as hackers deface State House website and demand cryptocurrency payment
NAIROBI, Kenya – President William Ruto’s official website was hacked on Saturday in a major cybersecurity incident that saw attackers deface the platform and demand a cryptocurrency ransom of approximately KSh41 million to restore access.
The breach temporarily disrupted the presidential website, with hackers replacing parts of the homepage with a ransom message. Authorities have not indicated that classified government data or critical national security systems were compromised.
The incident has renewed concerns over the security of Kenya’s government digital infrastructure, coming less than a year after a coordinated cyberattack disrupted dozens of government websites, including State House and several key ministries.
Cybersecurity experts warn that while the presidential website primarily serves as an information portal, attacks on high-profile government platforms can damage public trust and expose weaknesses that could be exploited to target more sensitive systems.
As Kenya continues expanding digital services through platforms such as eCitizen, analysts say stronger investment in cybersecurity, threat monitoring and system resilience is essential to counter increasingly sophisticated ransomware attacks, which commonly demand payment in cryptocurrency.
Investigations into the latest breach are ongoing as authorities work to determine how the attackers gained access and whether any data was affected.
