Zikalala orders full probe of Public Works Dept's internal ICT system after breaches

CAPE TOWN - Public Works Minister Sihle Zikalala has ordered a full forensic investigation into its internal information communication technology, saying the system was coming under attack from cyber criminals. 

Zikalala said the breaches were detected by its banking partners, which include the reserve bank and Absa. 

But the department was still quantifying the extent of its vulnerability. 

Minister Zikalala said the investigation was prompted by concerns the department was becoming a soft target for cyber crimes. 

It will be carried out by the Hawks and the police, with the assistance of ICT and cyber security experts. 

The probe will include the vulnerability and resilience of infrastructure, the capacity of staff and ICT systems, and the improvement of internal controls. 

Zikalala said the department had become vulnerable due to the nature of its business but with the help of experts, it’s hoping to improve on its cyber resilience capabilities. 

Department spokesperson, Lennox Mabaso: "The matter is very urgent, that's why we've got these agencies involved but there must be thorough work in a short space of time and the most important thing is the report must also assist us to ensure we remain resilient."

Zikalala said the investigations would impact the processing of payments to creditors and beneficiaries, and the department appealed to its partners for patience while it took measures to protect itself and state resources from cyber criminals.