tl;dr
Uganda's central bank has confirmed a hack resulting in the theft of 62 billion Ugandan shillings ($16.8 million). The hacking group "Waste" claims responsibility, but the state minister of finance downplays the extent of the breach. An investigation is underway, with reports that some of the money ...
Uganda's central bank has confirmed the theft of 62 billion Ugandan shillings ($16.8 million) from official accounts, with the hacking group "Waste" claiming responsibility. An investigation has been launched, and some funds have been recovered, raising suspicions of an inside job.
The state minister of finance has downplayed the extent of the breach, stating that initial reports may be overblown. However, the Bank of Uganda has acknowledged the hack and initiated a police investigation, as reported by Reuters.
According to state-owned news outlet Vision, the hacking group "Waste" has claimed responsibility for the breach. The minister of finance, Henry Musasizi, confirmed that although accounts were hacked, the situation may not be as severe as initially reported. An audit and investigation have been initiated in response to the incident.
Amidst the ongoing investigation, sources at the bank have reported that some of the stolen funds were sent to Japan, with half of the money successfully recovered. Additionally, the Daily Monitor, Uganda's largest independent newspaper, has suggested that the breach may have involved insider participation.