{Rwanda National Police has revealed that a cyber-attack was last year carried out on one of Rwanda’s banks targeting to steal USD 700,000 (Rwf 574 million) but the heist was repelled before accomplishing their mission. }
The cyber-attack has been revealed today during a symposium organized by Rwanda’s senate focusing on cyber-security, nature of cross-border crimes and measures in place to counter them where about 120 people from 47 institutions participated.
The head of Criminal Investigation Department at the Rwanda National Police, ACP Morris Murigo has said that technology has brought many developments but pose threats for the proliferation of cyber-crimes which calls for more creativity to counter the threat.
He explained that cyber-crimes stood at 0.36% in 2016 of the 17,000 crime cases reported in the year where he revealed an aborted digitalized robbery.
“Hackers attempted to rob USD 700,000 from one of Rwanda’s banks but we managed to repel them before they did, something we are proud of having accomplished,” he said.
ACP Morris Murigo said that cyber-crime perpetrators’ capacities supersedes those of individuals people in charge of investigating the crimes urging for the need to increase capacity and mobilizing citizens on strengthening security of their soft properties.
Cyber-crimes include, hacking emails and illegal money transfer among others.
While officially opening the session, the Senate President Bernard Makuza observed that cyber-crime should be fought alongside others including; genocide ideology, terrorism, human trafficking, drug trafficking, arms trafficking and other crimes affecting economy.
Makuza said that new research on emerging crimes catalyzed by new technologies should be carried out in addition to taming cross border crimes, getting more equipment and creating better awareness among Rwandans on fighting cyber-crime.
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