The Government of Liberia is battling a serious cyber security attack on its top-level domain (.LR) from an unknown source.
The NEW DAWN gathers that the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has been working for the past three days to foil the alleged attack, but all efforts have proven futile.
Sources from the Ministry disclosed that unknown hackers currently have access to classified government information.
As a result, government ministries and agencies with websites are unable to access their portals or information, which is said to be causing serious challenges for government operations and posing an internal security threat, as the motives behind the action remain largely unknown.
However, in a write-up titled: "Cyber Attack on Liberia's Top-Level Domain (.LR) Disrupts Services for Over 48 Hours" and explaining briefly about the attack in a release dated June 12, 2024, Mr. Victor K. Jarlwood Jr., the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Cybersecurity Focal Point at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, alarmed about a significant cyber-attack on Liberia's top-level domain (.LR).
According to him, this malicious activity caused the domain to be disconnected by its host for more than 48 hours, causing widespread disruptions to all government .lr domain services.
The ECOWAS Focal Person further reveals that the attacks also included numerous attempts to breach the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications' official website, noting that these persistent attacks have raised concerns about the security of Liberia's digital infrastructure.
Mr. Jarlwood urges all citizens to adhere strictly to recommended safety measures while emphasizing that the Ministry and its international tech teams are working tirelessly to restore services and ensure the security of the digital environment.
"We are taking all necessary steps to mitigate this attack's impact and prevent future occurrences. Our teams are committed to bringing everything back to normal as quickly as possible," he assures.
At the same time, the Liberia Information Technology Students Union (LITSU), in a press release Tuesday evening, June 11, 2023, under the signature of its President, Sekou M. Kamara, said analyses of the IT environments within Liberia's public and private sectors have identified significant cyber threats, targeting the nation's IT landscape.
The release notes that Cybersecurity issues in Liberia have reached a critical juncture, warranting urgent attention as a matter of national security.
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"Cyber-attacks, including those targeting critical government ICT infrastructures, underscore the pressing need to elevate cyber security to a national security priority in Liberia. The evolution and increasing sophistication of these attacks are no longer merely social or economic issues; they represent a substantial threat to national security", LITUS cautions.
The release says LITSU cyber intelligence reports reveal that both government and private sector ICT infrastructures are under attack, and this week's hacking incidents involving multiple government websites highlight the severity of the threat to government technology infrastructure.
It also reveals that several media houses faced Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, further illustrating the widespread nature of these threats.
Assessments and investigations indicate that many active websites in Liberia operate on outdated technology platforms and utilize substandard tools, making them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. These vulnerabilities present significant risks, and it is predicted that future hacking attempts could target critical national infrastructures, including data centers, financial institutions, and e-government networks."
Meanwhile, LITSU says it is imperative for all stakeholders, including government and private sector entities, to take immediate and comprehensive measures to bolster cybersecurity defenses.
The release lamented that the safety and integrity of Liberia's digital infrastructure must be prioritized to safeguard national security and ensure essential services' continued functionality and reliability. Editing by Jonathan Browne
