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The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) has noted media coverage over the weekend, reporting that three government websites were hacked. In fact, the websites were defaced, and not hacked, as per the media reports.

SITA responded swiftly to the defacing of three government websites which were immediately restored. SITA is assisting all government departments to prevent an incident of this nature in future.

The Agency’s acting CEO Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has emphasised that the three websites were not hacked but defaced, i.e. only the front-face or cosmetic parts were altered but no government information was under threat.

“SITA is confident of its work and capacity to secure government information and this remains the bedrock of its operations”, she stated.

The State IT Agency wishes to make it clear that this is a cyber-criminal activity that is not tolerated in South Africa. Ntshavheni has assured the people of South Africa, Government Departments and all other stakeholders that public information in the Government websites is secure and well protected.

She said “SITA will continue to check the links that emerged from the defacement reports, to assist departments and to advise them on measures to update their current information and communication technology infrastructure”.

Ntshavheni thanked the South African online community for its support and assured all South Africans that “sensitive and confidential information is not found on Government websites nor is it accessible through the websites. This information is protected by an extremely comprehensive and detailed standards set of controls comprising of best practices in information security”.

SITA strives to transform the public sector information and communications technology (ICT) landscape and its outlook, to ensure best practices with innovative client-centric ICT products and services.