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Chinese Hackers Targeted Kenyan Government on Debt: Report

by Cobus van Staden
The allegations that Chinese hackers targeted the Kenyan government is front-page news in Kenya.

Kenya is abuzz following an exclusive report by Reuters that Chinese entities repeatedly hacked Kenyan government computer networks. The report cites cybersecurity reports and government sources to allege that unidentified Chinese actors surveilled eight Kenyan ministries and government departments for three years. The campaign reportedly included the office of the president and Kenya’s intelligence service.

A key issue in the scandal is the reason for the hack. Reuters quoted a cybersecurity expert saying the hackers focused on Kenya’s debt to China. The report details attempts to gather information on how Kenya will repay its Chinese loans from 2019 to 2022.

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