South African weather service hit by cyberattack, affecting critical operations

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) was hit by a cyberattack affecting its online services and limiting access to weather information relied upon by various sectors, including aviation and agriculture. According to an official statement, SAWS’ website has been offline since Sunday evening. As a temporary measure, the agency has been sharing weather updates through alternative channels, such as social media platforms.

SAWS attributed the disruption to a ‘security breach’ and confirmed that its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems were impacted. The organisation stated that efforts are underway to investigate the incident and restore affected services, with ICT specialists working on interim and long-term solutions.

Critical operations, including those supporting aviation and maritime operations, have been affected. SAWS advised the public to refer to its social media channels for updates and announced that the incident would be reported to law enforcement authorities. The agency noted that this was the second attempted cyberattack in two days, with an initial attempt on January 25, 2025, reportedly unsuccessful.

SAWS also provides meteorological data to neighboring countries, making the disruption regionally significant. As of Wednesday afternoon, the SAWS website remained offline.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the incident, South Africa has faced multiple cyberattacks targeting government institutions in recent years. In 2023, ransomware incidents affected the country’s pension fund, national health lab, and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development of South Africa.