In a shocking turn of events, the official Facebook page of Kabarak University has been seized by a hacker who is now demanding a sum of $500 (Ksh 68,250) to return control of the page to the university. The hacker has claimed to be an IT student from a school in Jakarta, Indonesia. He made his demands clear on the page stating that the sum was too little for a large institution such as Kabarak University and they should be able to afford it easily.
Over the past three days, the hacker has been using the page to spread malicious and misleading content to its 46,000 followers. Kabarak University’s reputation and credibility have been severely tarnished by these actions, leaving stakeholders and members of the public alarmed and concerned.
The hacker posted a cryptic message on the page on Saturday apologizing for the posts but also sending a warning that he would not return the university’s account. This statement gave the impression that the individual was not particularly remorseful for their actions.
In response to the incident, the Vice Chancellor of Kabarak University, Prof. Henry Kiplangat, released a statement affirming that all necessary measures have been taken to regain control of the page and prevent any further unauthorized access. The VC also reassured stakeholders and the general public that Kabarak University would heighten its cybersecurity measures to prevent future breaches.
This unfortunate event highlights the increasing cyber threats that institutions face in the digital age. Universities must protect their online presence and reputation in order to maintain the trust of their stakeholders and members of the public. It is critical that they invest in robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard their systems and networks from intrusion by cyber-criminals.