Disappointing news is spreading like a fire in the jungle that hackers have attacked in the SASSA systems. There are various speculations regarding the attack as some claim that they have stolen the data while others argue that they have transferred money from SASSA accounts to their accounts. 

According to the SASSA authorities, hackers tried to access the deep data of SASSA. However, the detailed statement from SASSA has not been published yet. Come with me to understand the threat to SASSA by hackers, see the nature of the threat, and learn about the response of SASSA. 

The Nature of Threat

The attack was planned to steal the data of the SASSA. Basically, there were several attacks to weaken the security system of SASSA and then access the data of the applicants. According to the cyber security analyst, Dr. Themba Nkosi of the University of Johannesburg says that we are dealing with a highly organized and technically perfect group of cybercriminals.

The purpose of the attack was nothing more than to access the database of the sassa srd status check. Dr. Themba Nkosi also added that the cyberattack indicates that the hackers have a deep understanding of how the SASSA security system works. After tracing the evidence we can conclude that hackers used various techniques including malware designed to phishing schemes. 

Impacts on the Beneficiaries

The consequences of the attack are far-reaching as people have argued that they are facing various payment issues. Some argued that they are facing delayed payments while others are facing the “Cash Has Been Withdrawn” problem. For example, an applicant from Soweto answering a question in an interview explained that she went to the ATM for payment withdrawal and someone had already taken the money from her account. 

She added that she cannot manage the expenses of the month nor does she have money to buy daily commodities. Her older personal grant has vanished from her account due to the attack on the SASSA database. Similar stories have been echoed by other SASSA applicants who lost their half amount and some say their accounts have been blocked. 

SASSA Response to the Threat

In response to the srd status check security breach, the agency has taken several steps including suspending the online service so that no unauthorized access can reach the database. Additionally, the financial audit has begun by the experts to estimate the amount of loss and then develop the recovery method.

SASSA announced that it is collaborating with the cybersecurity agencies to understand the depth of the attack and then track back the origin and source. It is time that SASSA has to take serious actions to strengthen security in order to bring down the threat chances for the future. 

The attack on the SASSA system incidents shows that the administration has not been taking actions regarding the security system. On the other hand, we can see that other social security grants platforms update their security system with the passage of time to prevent such threats. 

Ongoing Investigation 

Stellenbosch University students are working with the investigation team and reported that the SASSA security system has additional vulnerabilities which can show hackers a path to reach the database of the system. Apart from the technology glitches, they identified that hackers created thousands of fraudulent accounts and then created a loophole to exploit vulnerabilities. 

According to the recent report, it is possible that the attack source is N4ughtySec, which has previously attacked South Africa’s credit beaure. A vague information on this attack states that N4ughtySec  has stolen R175 million. The complete details will be released in 48 hours. 

Government Intervention 

Due to the large scale data breach and loss of R175 million, the government of South Africa has invented the matter. The government minister of social welfare states that the issue must be resolved within a few hours. He also has raised questions on the security system of SASSA and may take several actions such as we may see some higher level SASSA employees getting fired. 

Border Implications

Some people argue that there might be a former SASSA employee behind the attack because the nature of this threat indicates the hacker is well aware of the SASSA security system. On the other hand, some are accusing Brazilian attackers of stealing the money from their bank accounts. The investigation is ongoing; therefore, we need to be patient until hackers are exposed. 

However, it is time to improve the system of security so the people of South Africa are prevented by such attacks. Experts are giving opinions on the resolution of issues and prevention of future attacks. For example, some experts are advising to renew the entire SASSA security system. Redesign the SASSA security system can prevent various problems if developers acquire advanced approaches. 

Another suggestion is to introduce biometric verification so the information is always safe and the chances of attacks are less. Moreover, the SASSA security system should be updated with the passage of time. In case the system is not safer and well organized overtime, it can invite attacks to access the database. 

How Individuals Should Respond?

If you are an SASSA applicant who is facing the issues such as the postponed payment or you are unable to withdraw the amount, you should report the SASSA’s authorities. You can visit the SASSA’s office or you can contact me through email or via hotlink. Here are the contact details of SASSA: 

• Call SASSA’s at 080060 10 11 
• Email to grantenquiries@sassa.gov.za
• Website: https://srd-sassa-gov.co.za/

Final Words 

The biggest challenge in the technology world are the cyberattacks as various companies, organizations, firms and agencies are reporting the same issue across the world. SASSA’s was attacked due to the weak protection against the exploitations and has faced a R175 million loss. To prevent future attacks, we need to work on the security system and improve the capacity of our protection systems against vulnerabilities.