CHRAJ restores ‘hacked’ website
The website of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in Ghana which was earlier taken over by internet hackers has been restored.
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Hackers took over the human rights commission's website early Monday but with support from the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), the site was restored by midday same day.
The Public Relations Officer of CHRAJ, Bernice Aidoo said investigations had been instituted into the incident.
The taking down of CHRAJ's website happened two weeks after many public institution's website were also hacked. The official portal of government of Ghana, www.ghana.gov.gh was also hacked during the same period. A Turkish national who was suspected to have launched the take over directed traffic on the site to his Facebook account.
Some of the institutions whose sites were also hacked by the same person were the Ministry of Education, Navy, National Service Scheme, Works and Housing and the Foreign Affairs Ministries.
The hackers of the CHRAJ website [www.chrajghana.com] on Monday who were suspected to be coming from Tunisia in north Africa left a banner at the site describing themselves as “Hani Xavi”.
“Hacked By Hani Xavi #Fallaga_Tunisian_Team #1.2.3 Viva_Tunisie,” an Arabic song and an image of the Tunisian flag were left on the site.
The latest developments have raised concerns about cyber security in Ghana.
According to a consultant on cyber security, Albert Antwi Boasiako, issues of security were not taken seriously in Ghana.
Speaking on Accra based Starr FM, Mr Boasiako who works at e-Crime Bureau said an assessment of the CHRAJ site showed that even though it was a government institution, the site was not being managed by NITA. Rather it is hosted elsewhere outside of Ghana
“The technology and backbone of websites in Ghana are quite weak, that is the fundamental problem. In addition, in the cyber world because of the vulnerabilities of technology, you need to constantly monitor and assess your websites after they have been set up. This is never done.”
“…cyber security matters I don’t think they have attention in the board rooms or management meetings.”
He said they just develop the sites and leave it and this is what the criminals have seen and profiling the system day by day.
He noted many government institutions do not manage their sites in Ghana but added it does not matter whether the site in hosted in Ghana or elsewhere but the advantage is that, when it hosted in Ghana, it gives the owners more control and swift response to take it down when some of these things happen.