In just three months, Kenya detected over 2.5 billion cyber threat eventsâa staggering 201% surge compared to the previous quarter.
Kenyan businesses of all sizes are at risk as the digital threat landscape changes more quickly than ever before, from sophisticated ransomware to persistent brute-force attacks.
This report distills the latest data from the National KE-CIRT/CC Q1 2025 Cybersecurity Report, so you can understand:
- Which attack vectors are rising
- What industries are being targeted
- And most importantlyâwhat to do about it
Kenyaâs Cyber Threat Landscape at a Glance
Total Threat Events Over Time
Between OctoberâDecember 2024 and JanuaryâMarch 2025, the volume of detected threats more than tripled:
Chart Reference: Figure 1 â Threat Events Growth
Insight: A 201% increase in just 3 months highlights how fast attackers are evolving.
Kenyaâs Breakdown of Cyber Attack Types
System Attacks were by far the most prevalent, accounting for over 97% of all events. But even beyond that, Brute Force, Malware, and DDoS remain significant threats.
Hereâs how those attacks break down:
| Attack Type | Events Detected | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| System Attacks | 2,470,257,079 | 97.3% |
| Brute Force | 33,794,288 | 1.33% |
| Malware | 24,549,413 | 0.96% |
| Web Application Attacks | 5,081,236 | 0.20% |
| DDoS | 3,678,789 | 0.14% |
| Mobile Application Attacks | 68,063 | <0.01% |
Chart Reference: Figure 2 â Attack Types by Volume
Chart Reference: Figure 3 â Attack Types by Percentage
Key Insight:
System attacks and brute-force attacks alone accounted for over 97% of all incidents, highlighting chronic issues with system misconfigurations and poor password hygiene.
Kenya Cyber Attack Trends Over Time
Some attack categories declined, but the risk remains persistent:
| Period | Brute Force Events |
|---|---|
| Q4 2024 | 34,784,028 |
| Q1 2025 | 33,794,288 |
Chart Reference: Figure 4 â Brute Force Attack Trend
| Period | DDoS Events |
|---|---|
| Q4 2024 | 15,030,358 |
| Q1 2025 | 3,678,789 |
Chart Reference: Figure 5 â DDoS Attack Trend
Insight: While DDoS dropped sharply, attackers can rapidly ramp up these campaigns using rented botnets.
Kenya Trends Driving the Surge
1. Explosive Growth of System Attacks
- 2.4 billion+ events detected
- Attackers took advantage of outdated devices, particularly IoT ones, unpatched operating systems, and poorly configured networks.
2. Brute Force and Credential Stuffing
- Over 33 million brute-force attacks targeted cloud services and government systems.
- Many businesses still rely on default credentials and lack MFA.
3. Phishing and Social Engineering
- AI-powered phishing emails and deepfake scams are rising.
- Employees remain the weakest link.
4. DDoS-as-a-Service
- DDoS attacks spiked, targeting healthcare and government.
- Botnets are easier to rent, making these disruptions cheap to launch.
5. Cloud and ISP Vulnerabilities
- ISPs and cloud providers were among the most targeted industries, underlining the need for deeper configuration reviews and security hardening.
Industries Most at Cyber Risk In Kenya
KE-CIRT identified these as the primary targets:
- Government and public sector systems
- Internet service providers and cloud services
- Healthcare providers
- Financial institutions
Top Exploited Weaknesses:
- Poor Credential Management
- System Misconfigurations
- Unpatched Software
- Weak Passwords
- Insecure APIs
What This Means for Your Business in Kenya
Whether youâre an SME or an enterprise, this surge in attacks makes cybersecurity no longer optional:
- Reputation risk: Public breaches damage customer trust.
- Compliance challenges: The Data Protection Act, CMCA, and industry standards require proactive defenses.
- Operational disruption: DDoS and ransomware can bring your business to a standstill.
- Insurance costs: Cyber insurance premiums are rising with incident frequency.
Recommended Actions (KE-CIRT Advisories)
KE-CIRT issued over 13 million advisories in Q1 2025. Here are their top recommendations:
1. Regularly patch and update systems
Stay current on critical vulnerabilitiesâmost breaches exploit known flaws.
2. Use strong passwords and enable MFA
Credential stuffing and brute-force attacks thrive on poor password hygiene.
3. Harden firewall and antivirus configurations
Default settings are not enoughâtailor them to your risk profile.
4. Train employees on phishing and social engineering
Human error is the easiest way in.
5. Implement DDoS detection and mitigation controls
Especially for companies serving critical infrastructure or large audiences.
How Bluefire Redteam Helps Kenyan Organizations Stay Protected
As cyberattacks grow in scale and sophistication, proactive defense is critical. Hereâs how Bluefire Redteamâs services directly address the trends in this report:
| Service Offering | Addresses | Outcome / Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Penetration Testing & Vulnerability Assessments | – System Misconfigurations – Unpatched Systems – Credential Weaknesses | Simulates real-world attacks to uncover vulnerabilities before criminals exploit them |
| Phishing Simulation & Employee Training | – Social Engineering & Phishing – Weak Credential Practices | Equips teams to recognize and avoid sophisticated scams |
| Cloud & ISP Security Reviews | – Insecure APIs – Cloud Misconfigurations | Comprehensive review of SaaS, cloud workloads, and ISP environments |
| Incident Response Planning & Retesting | – DDoS & Ransomware Readiness – Recovery Gaps | Ensures rapid response and recovery capabilities |
| Compliance Support & Continuous Monitoring | – Regulatory Requirements (Data Protection Act, CMCA) – Ongoing Threat Landscape | Keeps your business aligned with legal mandates and emerging risks |
Expert Insight from Bluefire Redteam
âThis report’s data highlights a fact that no Kenyan organisation can afford to overlook: cyber threats are growing more quickly than the defences of the majority of businesses. Attackers are always looking for the weakest link, and far too frequently they discover it, whether it be through system configuration errors or credential brute-forcing.
At Bluefire Redteam, we consider cybersecurity to be an essential business resilience strategy rather than merely a technical necessity. Reactive measures alone are not enough to secure your infrastructure, as the trends for Q1 2025 demonstrate. It necessitates a multi-layered, proactive strategy that combines continuous monitoring, user education, cloud security assessments, and penetration testing led by experts.
If thereâs one takeaway from this quarterâs surge in attacks, itâs that waiting is not an option. The time to assess your risk and build defenses is now. Weâre here to help you do it.â
â Bluefire Redteam Cybersecurity Leadership Team
FAQ - Kenya Cyber Attack Q1 2025
- How many cyber threats were detected in Kenya in Q1 2025?Over 2.5 billion threats were detected, a 201% increase from Q4 2024.
- What were the most common types of cyberattacks?
System attacks dominated (97.3%), followed by brute force, malware, web app, DDoS, and mobile attacks.
- Which sectors were most targeted?Government, ISPs, cloud providers, healthcare, and education were the main targets.
- How can Bluefire Redteam help protect my business?We offer penetration testing, phishing training, cloud security, incident response, and compliance support.
