Customer data unsafe, but financial systems remain unaffected in latest MTN cyberattack
According to MTN Group, there was a recent cybersecurity breach that resulted in some customers' personal information in some markets being accessed without authorization.
The telecom powerhouse stressed that its core network infrastructure, billing systems, and financial services platforms are safe and fully functional, although it did not reveal the number of countries impacted or the extent of the hack.
'MTN Group would like to inform stakeholders that it has experienced a cybersecurity incident that resulted in unauthorised access to personal information of some MTN customers in certain markets,' the group said, as seen on its website.
'Our core network, billing systems, and financial services infrastructure remain secure and fully operational,' it added.
An unidentified third party has allegedly accessed data pertaining to some MTN systems, the company further relayed.
'An unknown third party has claimed to have accessed data linked to parts of our systems. At this stage, we do not have any information to suggest that customers' accounts and wallets have been directly compromised,' it stated.
In response to the attack, MTN promptly triggered its cybersecurity response processes.
'We are in the process of notifying affected customers in compliance with local legal and regulatory obligations,' it said.
The firm has subsequently contacted the appropriate law enforcement authorities, including the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hawks, South Africa's Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.
This recent breach is coming just months after MTN and other major mobile service providers in Africa, including Airtel and Uganda Telecom, were targeted by the hacktivist organization Anonymous Sudan.
The 2024 cyber attack by Anonymous Sudan
On February 6, 2024, several telecom companies were targeted with coordinated Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assaults. The assaults momentarily hampered its main activities and were suspected to be politically motivated, making it one of the most infamous cyberattacks last year.
Anonymous Sudan claimed responsibility for the assaults, claiming that they were directed at firms believed to be helping the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the current Sudanese civil conflict.
'We claim full responsibility for this attack because of Nigeria's government actions against Niger,' the group claimed at the time.
'They are attempting to cut power and are willing to participate in the French colonialistic planned invasion of Niger.'
While MTN has not linked the new data leak to the February DDoS assault, the sequence of events raises concerns about Africa's increasingly vulnerable telecom infrastructure to politically fueled cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity has become an increasingly pressing concern for African telecommunications companies, particularly those operating in various markets with substantial client bases.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Botswana's diamond giant slashes output as demand falls
Botswana's main diamond company has paused production at some of its mines, citing a prolonged downturn in global demand. Debswana, a joint venture between the government and global mining giant De Beers, saw its sales revenue drop by almost 50% last year. Botswana is the world's largest producer of diamonds by value. The industry accounts for a quarter of the country's total annual income (GDP), according to the International Monetary Fund. On Friday, Debswana said production this year is being scaled back to 15 million carats - approximately a 40% decrease from its output in 2023. The company, which accounts for around 90% of Botswana's diamond sales expects this reduced output will lead to "significant cost savings" across areas like fuel and electricity. In a statement, Debswana said it continued to "prudently navigate the challenging market conditions" citing low demand and "emerging pressures such as US-imposed tariffs". The global market for mined diamonds has been experiencing a decline since 2023, partly due to the availability of lab-grown alternatives. In response to this downturn, Debswana paused production at its flagship Jwaneng mine, as well as its Orapa mines, last month. Each mine will be closed for three months in total. The southern African country has for decades been trying to shift its economy away from being dependent on diamond sales, to varying degrees of success. Although successive governments have boosted sectors such as tourism, finance and the mining of minerals such as copper, diamond sales still make up three-quarters of Botswana's foreign exchange earnings. This income is likely to be hit by Debswana's decision to temporarily close its mines. The company has stressed that no involuntary job cuts are planned, although it continues to offer voluntary redundancy. As a result of the sustained downturn in the global diamond industry, Botswana will cut its 2025 economic growth forecast to almost zero, a senior finance official was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency. World's second-largest diamond found in Botswana How friends became foes in Africa's diamond state 'Proud to be young' - Beauty queen, lawyer and Botswana's youngest cabinet minister Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
38 minutes ago
'Grandpa robber' behind Kim Kardashian Paris heist recalls that 2016 night
Kim Kardashian made a defiant walk into Paris' Palace of Justice in May, to face the criminals who held the reality star at gunpoint and robbed in 2016. The trial's shocking outcome would only prompt more questions. Ten suspects, dubbed the "Grandpa Robbers" by French media because most of them were in their 60s and 70s, stood trial in Paris for the notorious 2016 jewel heist that terrorized the reality star. ABC News Studios' "IMPACT x Nightline: Inside the Kim Kardashian Heist" is streaming only on Hulu. Despite finding eight of the 10 suspects guilty of crimes related to the 2016 heist, the French court allowed all defendants to walk free, with some receiving suspended sentences or credit for time already served. The judge cited the defendants' ages and health concerns as reasons for leniency. Two were acquitted. The crime occurred during Paris Fashion Week in October 2016, when Kardashian was staying at the exclusive "No Name Hotel," reportedly known for hosting celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Madonna. That night, while Kardashian's security detail accompanied her sister Kourtney to a nightclub, the robbers struck. In an interview with ABC News, Yunice Abbas, one of the convicted robbers, said he didn't even know who Kardashian was at the time. "I was always told 'wife of an American rapper,'" Abbas said. The robbers, wearing fake police jackets, first confronted the hotel's night concierge, Abderrahmane Ouatiki. They forced him at gunpoint to lead them to Kardashian's suite. "When you feel the cold steel of a gun on the back of your neck, you have to be calm," Ouatiki told ABC News. "You have to be wise in such situations." The thieves escaped with more than $6 million worth of jewelry, including Kardashian's upgraded 18.8-carat wedding ring from then-husband Kanye West. In their hasty bicycle getaway, Abbas admitted to falling and spilling some of the stolen jewels on the street. Following the verdict, Kardashian, who has become an advocate for criminal justice reform, released a statement. "While I'll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all. I remain committed to advocating for justice, and promoting a fair legal system." The outcome of the trial surprised even the defendants. When asked if he expected the lenient sentence, Abbas responded with a simple "No" as he left the courthouse a free man. The unexpected verdict left some questioning the French justice system. "I respect Kim Kardashian, but I call foul. Justice was not served," legal commentator Nancy Grace told ABC News. "They should be in jail for what they did."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'Grandpa robber' behind Kim Kardashian Paris heist recalls that 2016 night
Kim Kardashian made a defiant walk into Paris' Palace of Justice in May, to face the criminals who held the reality star at gunpoint and robbed in 2016. The trial's shocking outcome would only prompt more questions. Ten suspects, dubbed the "Grandpa Robbers" by French media because most of them were in their 60s and 70s, stood trial in Paris for the notorious 2016 jewel heist that terrorized the reality finding eight of the 10 suspects guilty of crimes related to the 2016 heist, the French court allowed all defendants to walk free, with some receiving suspended sentences or credit for time already served. The judge cited the defendants' ages and health concerns as reasons for leniency. Two were acquitted. The crime occurred during Paris Fashion Week in October 2016, when Kardashian was staying at the exclusive "No Name Hotel," reportedly known for hosting celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Madonna. That night, while Kardashian's security detail accompanied her sister Kourtney to a nightclub, the robbers struck. In an interview with ABC News, Yunice Abbas, one of the convicted robbers, said he didn't even know who Kardashian was at the time. "I was always told 'wife of an American rapper,'" Abbas said. The robbers, wearing fake police jackets, first confronted the hotel's night concierge, Abderrahmane Ouatiki. They forced him at gunpoint to lead them to Kardashian's suite. "When you feel the cold steel of a gun on the back of your neck, you have to be calm," Ouatiki told ABC News. "You have to be wise in such situations." The thieves escaped with more than $6 million worth of jewelry, including Kardashian's upgraded 18.8-carat wedding ring from then-husband Kanye West. In their hasty bicycle getaway, Abbas admitted to falling and spilling some of the stolen jewels on the street. Following the verdict, Kardashian, who has become an advocate for criminal justice reform, released a statement. "While I'll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all. I remain committed to advocating for justice, and promoting a fair legal system." The outcome of the trial surprised even the defendants. When asked if he expected the lenient sentence, Abbas responded with a simple "No" as he left the courthouse a free man. The unexpected verdict left some questioning the French justice system. "I respect Kim Kardashian, but I call foul. Justice was not served," legal commentator Nancy Grace told ABC News. "They should be in jail for what they did."
