Senegal’s national tax authority, the Direction Générale des Impôts et des Domaines (DGID), has confirmed a cyberattack involving the unauthorized access and publication of sensitive government data. The breach is attributed to a transnational extortion group known as Black Shrantac, which has begun leaking DGID files on a dark web site and demanding ransom payments.
🔍 How the Attack Was Conducted
According to forensic analysis by AYDA, an AI-driven defense initiative supporting DGID’s response, the attackers infiltrated internal systems and exfiltrated approximately 1 terabyte of data. The stolen files include:
- Tax declarations and identity documents
- Payroll tokens and internal financial records
- Password vault exports and scanned credentials
The group has posted samples of this data on a dark web leak site, using an auction-style format to attract buyers. Simultaneously, they issued ransom notes to DGID, threatening to release more data unless payment is made.
AYDA’s modules detected spoofed government seals, impersonation attempts, and bluff-heavy ransom language. The attackers also embedded cryptocurrency wallet addresses for payment, a tactic commonly used in double extortion schemes.
⚠️ What Citizens Should Know
DGID has launched an investigation and is working with cybersecurity experts to contain the breach and protect affected individuals.
Do not pay any ransom. Do not respond to suspicious messages claiming to be from DGID. Do not enter personal information on unfamiliar websites.
🛡️ What’s Being Done
AYDA’s defense system is actively monitoring the leak site for new data postings and alerting DGID when auction status changes or buyer interest is flagged. Ransom notes are being parsed for urgency markers, bluff signals, and crypto wallet reuse to support legal and strategic response.
Multilingual public alerts are being prepared in Wolof, French, and English to ensure broad awareness and prevent impersonation-based scams.
📣 Final Message
This incident is part of a growing global trend of cyber extortion targeting public institutions. Senegal’s response, powered by AI and citizen-first messaging, aims to protect its people, restore trust, and set a precedent for transparency and resilience.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation continues.
