The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has confirmed that it was targeted by cybercriminals twice within two days, with the second attack causing a significant disruption.
The SAWS revealed that its information and communication technology (ICT) systems were compromised on Sunday night following a security breach by criminal elements.
The breach has impacted critical services, including aviation and marine operations. The initial attack, which occurred on Saturday night, was unsuccessful, but the follow-up on Sunday led to the failure of several systems.
The SAWS is in the process of reporting the incident to the relevant authorities. Its ICT service providers have been working 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 affected the SAWS email system and website, which are vital 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.