The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has confirmed it was targeted by cybercriminals twice within two days, with the second attack causing significant disruption.
SAWS reported that its information and communication technology (ICT) systems were compromised on Sunday night after a security breach by criminal elements.
The breach has affected critical services, including aviation and marine operations. The initial attack, which occurred on Saturday night, was unsuccessful, but the follow-up on Sunday resulted in the failure of several systems.
SAWS is in the process of reporting the incident to the relevant authorities. Its ICT service providers have been on-site since the attack, investigating the breach and working on solutions to restore both immediate services and long-term system stability.
The attack has disrupted SAWS’ email system and website, which are essential for disseminating weather information to the public. In the meantime, the public has been advised to rely on the service’s social media platforms for the latest weather updates.
