Namibian authorities have launched an investigation after Otjiwarongo, a local municipality, suffered a serious cyber-attack by the known ransomware and data extortion threat group INC Ransom.
INC Ransom is a ransomware and data extortion threat organisation that has been operating since at least July 2023.
This data breach, revealed on Tuesday, highlights the growing necessity for proactive cybersecurity defences.
According to analysts, cyber-attacks are now a regular occurrence in the business world, with Africa being a prominent target.
They go on to say that, given the enormity of the problem, cyber security is an absolute must for any business or organisation trying to operate on the continent.
In Namibia, the attack on Otjiwarongo Municipality was confirmed by the Namibia Cyber Security Incident Response Team (NAM-CSIRT), housed at the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN).
The regulator disclosed this incident involved systems or networks belonging to the north-eastern municipality of around 50 000 people.
Emilia Nghikembua, CRAN chief executive officer, said given the sensitivity of the matter, NAM-CSIRT had notified the affected municipality and recommended that containment measures, including data mapping to determine the extent of the exposure and the isolation of affected systems.
"A formal investigation has been initiated, and NAM-CSIRT will provide an appropriate update in due course," she said .
Namibia confronts substantial cyber security difficulties, which are attributed to poor legislation, a lack of cyber security awareness, insecure infrastructure, and a scarcity of cyber security personnel.
Last week, Namibia and India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on cyber security.
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