Kenya has emerged as one of East Africa's biggest targets for cybercriminals, according to a new Interpol assessment that links the country's rapid digital growth with an increase in attacks targeting mobile money services, telecommunications networks and critical infrastructure.

The findings, contained in Interpol's African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026, paint a picture of a country grappling with increasingly sophisticated online threats while millions of people continue to rely on digital platforms for banking, communication and government services.

Among the report's most striking findings is the scale of attacks directed at Kenya's telecommunications sector. Interpol says the country recorded more than 46,786 Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks during the first half of 2025, with telecom operators bearing the brunt of the assaults.

A DDoS attack overwhelms a website or network with massive volumes of internet traffic, slowing or shutting down services for legitimate users.

"Kenya recorded more than 46,786 DDoS attacks in the first half of 2025 targeting telecoms," the report states, adding that the country also featured prominently in phishing detections during the same period.

The report comes alongside concerns raised by Kenya's Communications Authority, which has previously reported hundreds of millions of attempted cyber intrusions targeting government systems and information technology infrastructure.

Many of those attacks involved brute-force attempts, where criminals repeatedly try passwords or exploit system weaknesses until they gain access.

One of the most high-profile incidents occurred in July, when the official website of the President was compromised. The site's homepage was defaced with a message directed at President William Ruto, with attackers reportedly demanding a Bitcoin ransom.

Interpol also identifies mobile money fraud as one of Kenya's fastest-growing cyber threats.

According to the report, cases of SIM swap fraud increased by 327 per cent in 2025. Criminals allegedly obtained more than 123,000 fraudulent SIM cards, leading to losses estimated at about US$3.8 million from mobile wallets.

The findings suggest Kenya's heavy dependence on mobile financial services has made it an attractive target for organised cybercrime groups seeking to exploit weaknesses in identity verification and telecommunications systems.

Across East Africa, neighbouring countries are facing similar challenges, though on a smaller scale.

Uganda experienced a suspected ransomware attack targeting its national electricity transmission company, while Tanzania and Rwanda have also reported growing cases of SIM swap fraud. According to Interpol, telecom providers in those countries continue to face challenges in implementing real-time biometric verification systems.

Across the continent, however, the cybercrime landscape differs.

Southern Africa accounts for the largest share of ransomware detections, with South Africa recording the overwhelming majority of such cases. In West Africa, organised criminal groups continue to dominate business email compromise schemes, particularly in Nigeria and Cabo Verde.

Even so, Kenya stands out within East Africa because of the scale and frequency of attacks directed at its digital infrastructure.

Interpol warns that fragmented cooperation between countries is allowing cybercriminals to exploit jurisdictional gaps.

"The absence of a unified regional cybercrime response mechanism has allowed criminal networks to exploit jurisdictional boundaries between nations," the report states.

The organisation says stronger regional collaboration, improved cybersecurity systems and closer coordination among law enforcement agencies will be essential if countries are to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated cybercriminal networks.