The government has confirmed the identity of the group responsible for a major cyberattack that temporarily crippled several state websites on Monday, sparking concern over the country’s digital security. Dozens of key platforms, including the presidential portal and sites linked to major ministries, went offline after hackers infiltrated their systems and defaced pages with political messages and extremist slogans. The breach left thousands of Kenyans unable to access essential online services, prompting an urgent response from cybersecurity agencies.
According to an official circular from the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, the attack was carried out by a group calling itself PCP@Kenya. Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said the intrusion targeted systems within ministries such as Health, Education, Labour, ICT, Environment, Tourism and Interior, as well as services tied to the Hustler Fund, Immigration, Government Press and Nairobi County. The hackers posted phrases including Access Denied by PCP and other inflammatory messages, some referencing extremist ideology. Authorities quickly convened a multi-agency response team to contain the breach and begin restoring affected services, which Omollo said have now been stabilized and placed under heightened monitoring.
The cyberattack has drawn sharp reactions from security experts and government officials who warn that Kenya’s expanding digital footprint has made the country increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated online threats. Investigators say the breach violates several laws, including the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, the Kenya Information and Communications Act and the Data Protection Act. Offenders face prosecution once identified. The public has been urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to KE-CIRT, the National Cyber Command Centre (NC4) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. The incident has also revived memories of a similar disruption in 2023, when Anonymous Sudan temporarily crippled the eCitizen platform by flooding it with traffic.
Going forward, the government says strengthening digital resilience is a top priority as more public services transition online. PS Omollo noted that Kenya is working closely with private-sector partners and international agencies to fortify its cyberdefence systems and adapt to evolving threats. Security teams are continuing to monitor for additional activity linked to the group, while investigators analyse the breach to determine whether more systems were compromised. As digital services become increasingly central to daily life, officials say the attack underscores the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity investment, public awareness and rapid-response capability across government institutions.