Cyber Incident Victim: Correio Angolense
Date:
Sep 2020
Location:
Angola
Summary
Cyber-attacks targeted an Angolan news outlet and its journalist following reports on alleged embezzlement by a high-ranking government official. The outlet's website became inaccessible due to a denial-of-service attack involving thousands of simultaneous connection attempts, causing prolonged downtime. The journalist faced separate cyber-aggression, with both incidents perceived as deliberate attempts to suppress coverage of corruption claims involving offshore fund transfers and luxury property acquisitions linked to the official. These events occurred amid broader anti-corruption efforts by the national leadership, which had previously led to legal actions against other prominent figures.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 2 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
In late September 2020, Angolan independent news outlet Correio Angolense published an article detailing corruption allegations against Edeltrudes Costa, chief of staff to President João Lourenço. The report followed an investigation by Portuguese broadcaster TVI, which alleged Costa had embezzled public funds through government contracts awarded to his companies, including a multi-million-dollar airport renovation project. TVI's evidence suggested Costa diverted these payments to offshore accounts in Panama and Portugal before purchasing luxury real estate. Shortly after Correio Angolense amplified these claims, its website became inaccessible on September 25 due to a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. Editor Graça Campos confirmed to Reporters Without Borders that thousands of simultaneous connection requests overwhelmed their servers in an apparent coordinated assault. The attack persisted for at least two weeks, with the site remaining offline through the article's October 9 publication date. Freelance journalist Siona Casimiro, who contributed to Correio Angolense's coverage of the Costa case, also reported being targeted in separate cyber-aggression, though specific technical details weren't disclosed.
The cyber-attacks occurred amid heightened political tensions surrounding President Lourenço's anti-corruption drive, which had previously led to the August 2020 imprisonment of José Filomeno dos Santos—son of former president José Eduardo dos Santos—for diverting $1.5 billion from Angola's sovereign wealth fund. Public protests erupted in Luanda following the Costa allegations, with approximately 200 demonstrators demanding his resignation. Campos and Casimiro interpreted the cyber-attacks as direct retaliation for their reporting, with Casimiro stating there was "no doubt about the desire to silence journalists" investigating Costa. These incidents coincided with an ongoing probe into Isabel dos Santos, the former president's daughter, for alleged embezzlement and money laundering during her leadership of state oil firm Sonangol. The sustained DDoS attack effectively silenced Correio Angolense's digital presence during a critical period of public scrutiny over government corruption claims.