On Wednesday, Paratus Namibia reported a cyberattack. This is Namibia’s second telecommunications business attack two months after Telecom Namibia’s ransomware outbreak.
Paratus Namibia is a telecommunications corporation that provides Internet, voice, and data services to Namibian businesses and residences.
Cyberattack hits Paratus Namibia
The cyberattack compromised internal operational files related to Paratus systems and disrupted specific information systems, affecting the company’s operations.
In response to the unauthorised IT activity detected early Thursday morning, Paratus immediately isolated affected environments and disabled VPN access to contain the threat.
This includes isolating the vulnerable environment, limiting virtual private network access, and protecting all impacted systems, including voice (083) services and select cloud-hosted environments, to contain the threat and minimise service and operational damage.
Andrew Hall, Managing Director of Paratus Namibia, emphasised, “We are acutely aware of the importance of the data entrusted to us by our customers and sincerely regret any inconvenience caused by this incident.
The attack primarily affected internal operational files related to Paratus systems. Our ongoing investigation seeks to determine the full extent of any data compromise”.
Read also: Namibia orders Musk’s Starlink to shut down
Paratus response team in full force
Paratus has enlisted international specialists to assist in restoring infrastructure and implementing enhanced cybersecurity measures using established procedures. The company’s robust business continuity plans allowed swift action against the attack while maintaining operational integrity.
The Akira cybercriminal group was identified as responsible for hacking into Paratus’ systems. Approximately 84 Gigabytes of internal data were compromised; however, customer backups remain encrypted by default in cloud-hosted solutions.
Paratus is working closely with international cybersecurity experts to assess the situation further and implement necessary protective measures. Stakeholders are advised to be cautious about suspicious links and report unusual activities promptly.
Mufaro Nesongano from CRAN noted that NAM-CSIRT is investigating this incident independently, stating, “NAM-CSIRT remains committed to transparency… keeping stakeholders informed without compromising operations.”
Investigations continue, and updates are promised as developments arise according to legal obligations.