The state-run New Vision newspaper said Thursday that offshore hackers had stolen 62 billion Ugandan shillings ($16.8 million) from Uganda’s central bank.
According to reports, earlier this month the hackers, going by the name “Waste,” gained access to the Bank of Uganda’s IT systems and moved the money illegally.
A portion of the stolen funds were moved to Japan by the Southeast Asian hacker organization, according to New Vision.
More than half of the funds had been successfully retrieved by the central bank from the hackers, according to New Vision.
Laptops 1000It stated that President Yoweri Museveni had ordered a probe into the cyberattack.
Separately, the Daily Monitor, Uganda’s largest independent daily, stated that insider collaboration might have played a role in the crime.
In Uganda, numerous cyber thefts have occurred from banks and other financial service providers, including telecom companies.
However, according to police officials, several banks are reluctant to publicly admit such events for fear of upsetting their clientele. ($1 equals 3, 685,0000 shillings in Uganda)
