Core IT networks secure despite media hacks

DODOMA: THE government has assured the public that its core IT networks remain secure and well-managed, despite recent hacker attacks on the social media pages of several public institutions.

Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Jerry Silaa clarified in the National Assembly on Wednesday that the cyber incidents were strictly limited to the social media accounts of the institutions and did not compromise the broader government ICT infrastructure.

He said IT networks for all government institutions were secure and well managed through Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) and that the hacker attacked only the social media pages of some public institutions not the entire IT networks.

“The social media pages of some government institutions were hacked. These were social media accounts not the entire ICT system,” said Minister Silaa, responding to a question from Festo Sanga, Member of Parliament for Mufindi Constituency.

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Mr Silaa acknowledged that the breaches occurred because the security procedures specifically for these social media accounts ‘were not robust’.

However, he reassured the public that all affected accounts have since been successfully restored. The incidents saw the social media accounts of several government and prominent institutions in Tanzania compromised, leading to the posting of unethical, disinformational and politically linked messages.

The attacks began with the Tanzania Police Force’s official X account, which initially posted adult content images before being used to livestream false information.

As the day progressed, the attackers also compromised the police’s YouTube account, Usalama TV, continuing to spread similar falsehoods. In response, the Tanzania Police Force issued a statement confirming ongoing investigations to identify the culprits, urging citizens to disregard and refrain from engaging with the misleading content.

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“We urge citizens to ignore these reports and refrain from sharing them. Strict action will be taken against those involved in creating and disseminating such content, as well as anyone who continues to spread it,” the police statement read. Further emphasising the government’s stance, the Government Spokesperson cautioned the public about the proliferation of online disinformation.

“All citizens are cautioned that the Government has identified misleading information circulated on social media. This content intends to cause panic and instill fear among the public,” the statement highlighted.