The National Computer and Cybercrime Coordination Committee (NC4) that supports the protection of the country’s digital infrastructure and strategic cybercrime coordination has raised an alarm in its latest status report that the country experienced 3 billion cyberattacks targeting different sector system vulnerabilities, cloud services and government institutions in the past 3 months.
The report points to a growing trend of offences linked to digital payments, unauthorised access and interference with computer systems, identity theft, online harassment, fraud and false publication.
The committee also reported that Nairobi recorded the highest number of digital crimes with other cases recorded in Nyanza, Eastern, Rift Valley, Central, Coast and Western regions.
While receiving the brief, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration, Dr Raymond Omollo, in his capacity as the NC4 chair, noted that the report comes at a pivotal moment following Parliament’s approval of the National Cybersecurity Agency (NCSA), which will be a great support to the country in enhancing coordination, protection of critical information infrastructure and response to evolving cyber threats.
According to the report, majority of the cyber offences reported in Nairobi region included intentionally withholding electronic payment delivered erroneously, unauthorised access to computer systems, computer fraud and cyber harassment. Other offences reported in Nairobi included, identity theft and impersonation, and unauthorised interference to a computer system.
The figures show that Nairobi remains the national hotspot for cybercrime, largely reflecting its high levels of digital transactions, online activity and concentration of public and private sector institutions.
In Nyanza region, majority of the reported cybercrime cases were also on cyber harassment. Other offences included identity theft and impersonation, unauthorised access to a computer system, and unauthorised interference to a computer system.
The region also recorded cases of child pornography, fraudulent use of electronic data, possession of illegal devices and access codes, and intentionally withholding electronic messages delivered erroneously.
In Eastern region, the leading offences were computer fraud, cyber harassment, and unauthorised access to a computer system with intent to commit a further offence.
Rift Valley region recorded a decrease in computer fraud related period compared to last year.
There was marked increase in the offence of intentionally withholding electronic message delivered erroneously.
The region also recorded cases of computer fraud, cyber harassment, wrongful distribution of intimate images without consent, and unauthorised access to a computer system with intent to commit a further offence.
In Central region, offences were spread across different categories, with cases of child pornography, computer forgery, cyber harassment, identity theft and impersonation, and wrongful distribution of intimate images without consent.
In Coast region, cases of computer fraud and cyber harassment were reported while in Western region cases of cyber harassment and unauthorised interference to a computer system were dominant.
The Committee resolved to engage the different critical sector players including banking, mobile network operators, aviation, energy among others, to improve their proactive defences and cybersecurity capabilities.
The Committee is also developing a Rapid Reference Guide to standardize and streamline investigation and prosecution of cybercrimes in Kenya.
Present during the briefing included the NC4 Director, Dr James Kimuyu, Data Protection Commissioner, Immaculate Kassait, and representatives from the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy (MoICT), the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and eCitizen.
