Telecom Namibia has fallen victim to a cyberattack, resulting in the leak of over 400,000 customer files. The Telecom Namibia cyberattack occurred on December 11, 2024, and the company is working closely with both local and international cybersecurity experts to determine the scope of the breach and to mitigate its impact.
Telecom Namibia’s CEO, Stanley Shanapinda, has assured the public that the company is dedicated to addressing the cyberattack responsibly. In a confidential statement, Shanapinda highlighted the company’s recent efforts to strengthen its cybersecurity systems.
Overview of the Telecom Namibia Cyberattack
As cyber incidents have become widespread and a common occurrence, we have recently identified and, in time, successfully contained a cyber reconnaissance mission, thanks to our advanced incident monitoring and detection systems and protocols,” he stated. Shanapinda also promised that Telecom Namibia would release a detailed statement regarding the cyberattack soon.
The cyberattack on Telecom Namibia was allegedly carried out by a notorious ransomware group known as Hunters International. This ransomware-as-a-service operation was able to exfiltrate 626.3GB of data, including 492,633 files, before threatening to release the stolen information unless their ransom demands were met, reported the New Era newspaper.
Once the ransom deadline passed, hundreds of sensitive customer records, including personal identification details, addresses, and banking information, were leaked and began circulating on social media.
Concerns over the Cyberattack on Telecom Namibia
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) has expressed grave concern over the Telecom Namibia cyberattack. Cran’s CEO, Emilia Nghikembua, emphasized the seriousness of cybersecurity in the country. Through the Namibia Cyber Security Incident Response Team (NAM-CSIRT), Cran promptly responded upon identifying the attack, and continues to support the affected operator in mitigating its impact,” Nghikembua said.
Nghikembua also noted that while Namibia currently lacks a dedicated cybercrime and data protection law, the government is committed to ensuring compliance with international best practices in cybersecurity. She encouraged stakeholders to adopt globally recognized security measures such as encryption and regular security assessments to enhance the resilience of the country’s critical infrastructure. The protection of national critical infrastructure requires collective action, strategic planning, and a commitment to compliance with global standards,” she added.
Conclusion
The Telecom Namibia cyberattack, with over 400,000 files leaked and sensitive customer data exposed, underscores the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures. The leaked information circulating on social media heightens the risk of targeted phishing attacks, where cybercriminals could use the stolen data to exploit individuals further. This is an ongoing story, and The Cyber Express will be closely monitoring the situation. We’ll update this post once we have more information of the attack or any new statements from the company.
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