What we know about the cyberattack that defaced multiple government websites

The government has confirmed that a cyberattack that briefly disrupted several government websites on 17 November 2025 has been contained, ending hours of public concern after multiple platforms went offline.

In a statement, the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration said the incident left “various government websites inaccessible” after an attack linked to a group identifying itself as PCP@Kenya. 

The breach came after earlier reports that websites belonging to key ministries, including Interior, Health, Education, ICT, Water, Tourism and Labour, had been defaced with extremist messages and locked behind pages labelled “access denied”.

For much of Monday, users could not access information or services normally offered through some of the affected portals. 

Although no data breach had been confirmed at the time, the disruption raised widespread concerns about the strength of the country’s digital infrastructure and the threat of politically or ideologically motivated cyberattacks.

The government said it activated its incident response mechanisms immediately after detecting the intrusion, working with national cybersecurity teams and other stakeholders to restore access and secure affected systems.

“The situation has been contained,” the statement said, adding that monitoring is ongoing.

Kenyans have been urged to remain vigilant online and report suspicious cyber-activity to National KE-CIRT, NC4, or the DCI. 

The government has warned that the attack violated Kenyan and international laws, including the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, the Kenya Information and Communications Act, and the Data Protection Act. Anyone found responsible will “face the full force of the law”.

The incident is one of the most significant coordinated defacement attacks targeting Kenyan government systems in recent years.

The government says it will continue strengthening national cyber-resilience, including deeper collaboration with private-sector partners and international stakeholders.

Dr Raymond Omollo, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and the chair of NC4, reassured the public that Kenya remains committed to securing its digital infrastructure and modernising public service systems.