The African Union has been hit by a cyber attack that has caused an unscheduled suspension of its systems, according to an internal memo obtained by The Reporter.

The attack on the AU data center began on March 3, 2023, resulting in services and applications becoming unavailable. Sources indicate that over 200 corrupted devices have been discovered and are being cleaned at a facility outside AU headquarters. While the cloud-based data is secure, staff cannot access it.

The memo, written by Monique Nsanzabaganwa (PhD), the AU Commission’s deputy chairperson, describes the cyber attack as “massive” and reports that it has compromised numerous IT assets. The memo goes on to say that some applications are still operational, and the Management Information System (MIS) can recover some of the lost data.

Nonetheless, all the impacted devices must be cleaned before being granted internet access again. The cause of the attack is still unclear, and it’s uncertain whether it was an external attack or an internal breakdown. AU officials and stakeholders are working to restore service.

However, employees have reported being unable to use their work emails or the internet for over a week. Neither Esther Azaa Tankou, Head of Information Division at the AUC, nor Wynne Musabayana, the AUC’s head of communication, have confirmed or denied the attack.

Meanwhile, Molalet Tsedeke, the AU’s Media Center Coordinator, has stated that the institution is experiencing an IT system issue and is trying to determine the root cause. The Reporter’s queries to officials at the Information Network Security Agency (INSA) went unanswered.