Confusion as CAC suspends portal operations over cyber attack

...shutdown stalled filling of statutory documents, registration of businesses

Many Nigerian companies were unable to make official transactions on the official registration platform of the platform of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) over the weekend following a cyber attack on the platform, Business Hallmark can report.

The cyber attack which reportedly  affected the commission’s database, our correspondent gathered, necessitated the shutdown of the platform to protect customers’ information and data.

The shutdown, which began on April 17, ended in the early hours of Monday, April 20. While it lasted, individuals and companies were not able to register their businesses, book name reservation and file statutory documents.

Some of the affected companies and individuals who spoke to Business Hallmark on the matter said the unplanned shutdown frustrated their plans.

It would be recalled that the commission had in a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, announced the cyber attack on its platform, saying the incident impacted millions of data points linked to businesses in Nigeria.

The agency described the situation as unfortunate and assured the public that efforts were already underway to resolve the issue and protect its systems from further threats.

The commission immediately shut down the portal, claiming the breach affected its database.

Explaining the temporary shut down, the commission explained that it was necessary to allow for system checks, repairs, and upgrades aimed at improving security and service delivery. It also reassured the public that protecting users’ data remains a top priority.

The CAC also noted that the downtime coincides with a scheduled maintenance exercise designed to ensure the portal returns stronger and more secure.

Our correspondent, however, gathered that there’s now improved safeguards in the CAC system to enhance user confidence in the system.

In a related development, the commission has announced that it is working closely with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to investigate the cyberattack and implement measures to prevent a recurrence.

According to the commission, the  collaboration is expected to strengthen the resilience of the commission’s digital infrastructure against future cyber threats.

In the meantime, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has launched a formal investigation into the data breach.

The agency will assess the extent of the impact, determine whether data protection laws were violated, and recommend necessary actions to safeguard affected information.Nigeria market analysis