The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has successfully regained control of its X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts following a cyber-attack that saw hackers briefly take over the digital platforms. The incident, which occurred on Sunday evening, left many Kenyans in shock after posts related to cryptocurrency and blockchain scams appeared on the official DCI pages.
The attack is part of a worrying trend in which high-profile social media accounts in Kenya have been targeted by hackers in recent weeks. Cybercriminals have been hijacking prominent accounts and using them to spread misinformation or promote fraudulent schemes.
In a swift response, the DCI’s cybersecurity team managed to reclaim access to the compromised accounts and issued a statement reassuring the public that they had restored full control.
“For some moments this evening, we experienced a cyber-attack on the DCI digital platforms (X and Facebook), but have since regained full control,” the DCI statement read.
The agency further warned Kenyans to disregard any messages posted by the hackers, emphasizing that the information was false and not from the DCI. They also announced that a thorough investigation was underway to identify and prosecute those behind the cyber-attack.
“Note: The information is therefore FAKE and not from the DCI. A scrupulous interrogation into the criminal activity has been activated to bring to book the perpetrators,” the statement added.
This attack on the DCI’s accounts follows similar incidents involving other major Kenyan institutions. Just a week ago, the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) suffered a cyber-attack that saw its X account hijacked and renamed “Deepseek AI.” The national broadcaster quickly responded, informing the public that it was actively working to restore full access. KBC has since managed to recover the account.
Another media outlet, K24 TV, also fell victim to hackers last week. The attackers renamed the station’s X page multiple times before the company regained control. While K24 TV has restored its original name, many of its previous posts were deleted, and the profile picture has yet to be updated to its earlier status.
The increasing frequency of these attacks has raised concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities among Kenya’s institutions. Cybersecurity experts have urged organizations to implement stronger security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and regular security audits, to prevent future breaches.
As investigations continue, the DCI has assured the public that it will intensify efforts to curb cybercrime and ensure that those responsible for these attacks face the full force of the law.
