• Cyberattacks & Data Breaches Cyber Risk Data Privacy Cybersecurity Operations News Breaking cybersecurity news, news analysis, commentary, and other content from around the world, with an initial focus on the Middle East & Africa and the Asia Pacific Senegalese Data Breaches Expose Lack of Security Maturity Green Blood Group steals personal records and biometric data of the West African nation’s nearly 20 million residents. • February 12, 2026 The vast majority of Senegal’s adult population seems to have just lost its biometric data to hackers. • 19, a new ransomware outfit calling itself “The Green Blood Group"breached two serversat the West African nation’s Directorate of File Automation (DAF), the government agency that handles passports, national ID cards, andbiometric datafor the country’s nearly 20 million residents. • It then announced its breach on the Dark Web, indicating it had exfiltrated biometric data, immigration records, and more. • The risk that will follow for regular Senegalese people and businesses is significant. • But Aboubacar Yacouba Mai Birni, chief operations officer (COO) at the Africa Cybersecurity Resource Center (ACRC), argues, “Rather than framing this as a failure unique to Senegal, I would say this [incident] reflects a broader African challenge: digital ambition has outpaced cybersecurity maturity.” Related:Protests Don’t Impede Iranian Spying on Expats, Syrians, Israelis Right after the biometric data leaked online, this week, another Senegal government-adjacent organization fell victim to a cyberattack, according to the Dakar daily L’Observateur, as reported by other local news sites.

Article Summaries:

  • Breaking cybersecurity news, news analysis, commentary, and other content from around the world, with an initial focus on the Middle East & Africa and the Asia Pacific Senegalese Data Breaches Expose Lack of Security Maturity Green Blood Group steals personal records and biometric data of the West African nation’s nearly 20 million residents. February 12, 2026 The vast majority of Senegal’s adult population seems to have just lost its biometric data to hackers. On Jan. 19, a new ransomware outfit calling itself “The Green Blood Group” breached two servers at the West African nation’s Directora

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