Source: Somali Report
HARGEISA — A cyber group identifying itself as the Islamic Cyber Resistance Axis has claimed responsibility for hacking the official websites of Somaliland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Central Bank, replacing their homepages with pro-Houthi political messages, according to statements posted online. (Somali Report)
The group said the attack was carried out in response to Somaliland’s reported diplomatic engagement with Israel, as regional tensions continue to rise over the territory’s growing international ties. (Somali Report)
Cybersecurity experts, however, cautioned against interpreting the incident as a major security breach.
“There is currently no evidence that sensitive government or banking data was compromised,” cybersecurity specialist Bashir Hashi Dhoore told Somali Report, explaining that website defacement is fundamentally different from gaining access to internal databases or financial systems. (Somali Report)
Website defacement typically involves altering the appearance of publicly accessible pages without necessarily penetrating the systems where confidential information is stored, experts say. (Somali Report)
The group’s claims have not been independently verified, and Somaliland authorities had not issued an official statement at the time of publication. Technical investigations were reported to be ongoing to determine the scope of the incident. (Somali Report)
The alleged attack highlights the growing role of cyber operations in regional geopolitical disputes, as politically motivated hacking groups increasingly target government websites to spread propaganda and attract international attention rather than disrupt critical infrastructure.
