On March 26, 2025, PressAfrik Group, a prominent media outlet in Senegal, announced that its YouTube channel was targeted in a cyberattack. The hackers bypassed security measures by fraudulently generating a recovery key and security code for two-factor authentication. This allowed them to take control of the channel and its associated Gmail account, depriving the editorial and technical team of access to the platform.
The attack occurred during a critical period of rapid growth for PressAfrik, with the channel’s subscriber count increasing from 386,000 to nearly 395,000 in a matter of weeks. The breach has caused significant disruption to their journalistic work and their mission to provide accurate and impartial news. Notably, this attack follows similar hacking incidents involving other Senegalese media outlets such as Seneweb and Dakaractu, both of which were also temporarily inaccessible before being restored.
In response to this attack, PressAfrik Group filed a formal complaint with the Division Spéciale de la Cybercriminalité (DSC), Senegal’s cybercrime unit.
The organization is working closely with the authorities to track down the perpetrators and recover control of the channel. PressAfrik expressed its trust in the justice system and its determination to hold those responsible accountable for this malicious act.
While the investigation is ongoing, PressAfrik has urged its community, subscribers, and partners to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity or fraudulent content. The organization reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring free, independent, and reliable journalism in Senegal. Despite this setback, PressAfrik is determined to protect its editorial integrity and restore the trust of its audience.
Reference:
