DAILY NATION

Interpol deals blow to cybercriminals

Monday, August 21, 2023

‏By Mary Wambui 

Nation Media Group

An Interpol-led cybersecurity initiative resulted in the dismantling of 615 malware hosts targeting Kenyan websites between April and July this year.

The four-month Africa Cyber Surge II operation, launched in April, aimed to track cybercriminals and compromised systems across 25 African nations. With backing from the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation, the operation sought to enhance intelligence sharing between countries and improve coordination among African law enforcement agencies to tackle cyber extortion, phishing, business email compromise, and online fraud.

While Interpol did not disclose whether any arrests were made in connection to Kenya, the timing aligns with recent Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks on private and government platforms. For instance, the e-Citizen portal faced an overload, leading to service delays for users.

"For clarity, both the privacy and security of data were not compromised. The government will continue its cyber surveillance efforts and encourages the public and private sectors to enhance their vigilance so that, collectively, we can safeguard Kenya's cyberspace," said ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo following the attack.

To strengthen security across government platforms, Kenya has collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to introduce the Unique Personal Identifier (UPI), the country's first digital identity. Originally scheduled for a September launch, the rollout was postponed to October to ensure accuracy.

"Any minor error in this kind of project can be costly, and I appreciate UNDP for its support. As you know, the effectiveness of over 5,000 digital services available on the e-Citizen platform depends on a precise digital ID," said Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok last week.

The Africa Cyber Surge II operation highlighted a significant link between financial crime and cybercrime, urging nations to strengthen law enforcement efforts by following the flow of illicit funds.

Investigators identified 20,674 suspicious cyber networks associated with financial losses exceeding $40 million.

In Cameroon, three individuals were arrested for a scam involving fraudulent art sales worth $850,000, and two dark web sites were shut down. Nigerian authorities apprehended a suspect accused of defrauding a Gambian victim, while police in Mauritius arrested two individuals involved in money mule activities connected to scams initiated through messaging platforms. Additionally, in Gambia, authorities took down 185 IP addresses linked to malicious activities.

Countries were also alerted to 3,786 malicious command and control servers, 14,134 IPs tied to data theft, 1,415 phishing domains, 939 scam-related IPs, and over 400 other harmful URLs, IPs, and botnets.

“The Africa Cyber Surge II operation has reinforced cybercrime units in participating countries and strengthened collaborations with key stakeholders, including computer emergency response teams and internet service providers. These efforts will help mitigate the global impact of cybercrime and enhance security in the region,” said Interpol Secretary-General Jürgen Stock.

Interpol’s latest African Cyberthreat Assessment Report, published in March, indicates that most of the 42 assessed countries have established cybersecurity policies, legislation, and enforcement agencies.

"With weak or, in some cases, non-existent cybercrime laws, criminals can act with impunity. Even when identified, they may evade prosecution or extradition to jurisdictions with stricter regulations," the report states.

Note: This newspaper article has been intentionally paraphrased to ensure originality and does not violate copyright laws.