How Hackers are Invading Phones in Kenya - Expert

A cyber security expert has warned Kenyans on the infamous ways in which criminals are attacking phones and computers, putting their cyber space at risk.

In a television interview, Cyber Security Engineer Bright Gameli explored a number of ways through which crooks take advantage of social media, to track devices and access information on unsuspecting Kenyans.

Gameli said that Kenyans were targeted by cyber hackers owing to the attention the country commanded across the globe.

“There is a lot of attention on Kenya right now and we hold a lot of important information. Another thing, we host many important organizations,” he said on K24.

According to Gameli, social media users who geo-tag their posts enable hackers to track their location, as well as that of the companies they work for with ease.

Sending funny pictures on social media is another vibrant tactic by cyber crooks, according to the engineer. When unsuspecting users click on the photos, they expose themselves to criminals who are able to get any details from their phones and computers including operating systems, browser types and other applications.

He divulged that when such information is obtained by the criminals, they are able to access softwares installed by victims, are in the process of installing. They go ahead to send a software that contains malware (viruses) that cannot be detected by the recipient device.

A victim, according to Gameli, goes ahead to open the infected software, unaware that they have been tricked by cyber attackers to leak all information in their devices.

With the malware installed, the cyber expert goes ahead to disclose, it is easy for hackers to get full access of the victim’s computer, logging into and operating accounts as they wish.

Mobile phones are said to be vulnerable when the same malware is sent to handset owners. Hackers are able to send messages from targeted phones, take pictures, copy and delete videos, access WhatsApp, and perform other malicious activities.

The expert warned internet users to observe cyber space, urging companies to invest in protecting their systems by auditing IT systems while advising social media users to observe basic privacy practices such as obtaining passwords.

“Be aware of the cyber space. Know that people are always watching,” Gameli warned.

There have been numerous cases of cyber crime in Kenya including the hacking of  the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Twitter account, during which a group calling itself ‘Anonymous Kenya’ was suspected to have posted defamatory statements on the handle.

Watch Video of K24:

[video:]

  • . . .