Justice department hit with cyber attack, security breached and compromised

TLDR:

• The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJ&CD) has suffered a cyber security incident affecting child maintenance payments.
• A forensic team has been assembled to investigate the cyber attack and the electronic payment system for third-party funds has been temporarily suspended.

Article Summary:

The Justice Department and Constitutional Development (DJ&CD) in South Africa has recently experienced a cyber attack that has affected child maintenance payments. The department’s electronic payment system for third-party funds, including child maintenance, has been temporarily suspended due to attempts to compromise the system. As a response, the department has assembled a forensic team to investigate any suspicious activity and is urging beneficiaries to visit their nearest court for manual payments until the electronic service is fully restored.

This is not the first time the DJ&CD has faced cyber security issues, as they were previously hit by a ransomware attack in 2021. This led to all information systems being encrypted and unavailable, affecting electronic services and resulting in a R5 million fine for breaching data privacy laws. The recent cyber attack on the DJ&CD reflects a growing trend of cyber crimes targeting South African organisations, including government entities.

Other organizations such as the International Trade Administration commission and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission have also reported cyber attacks, highlighting the need for stronger cyber security measures in the country. The Information Regulator has expressed concern over rising data breaches and emphasized the importance of safeguarding against security compromises.