Microsoft Outage: CSA and NITA Warn Ghanaians Against Phishing Scams

The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) and the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) have cautioned Ghanaians against phishing attacks and online support scams following a widespread outage that affected Microsoft platforms, including Outlook. The two institutions have urged government agencies, businesses and the general public to remain vigilant despite the restoration of the affected services.

In a joint public alert issued and shared on their official Facebook pages on November 14, 2026, the CSA and NITA disclosed that Microsoft had restored the affected services, although recovery was still ongoing. They warned that some users might continue to experience intermittent disruptions as normal operations gradually resumed.

According to the agencies, cybercriminals often exploit major service disruptions by impersonating Microsoft officials or information technology support teams. Such individuals may offer fake solutions, circulate links claiming to restore access or ask users to verify or re-authenticate their accounts.

The two institutions advised the public not to click on suspicious links or open unexpected attachments in messages relating to the outage, password resets, account verification or service restoration. They stressed that users should remain cautious even when such messages appear to come from legitimate sources.

The alert also warned users against sharing their passwords, one-time security codes or approving multi-factor authentication requests they did not initiate. The agencies emphasised that Microsoft would never request such sensitive information through email, text messages or telephone calls.

Additionally, Ghanaians have been advised to verify the identity of senders by checking their complete email addresses and domain names before responding to messages. Users were also cautioned against urgent or threatening communications that encourage them to bypass established security procedures.

The CSA and NITA further urged organisations and individuals to exercise caution when sharing sensitive documents through messaging applications during the disruption. They recommended confirming recipients before sending confidential files and using approved organisational communication channels wherever possible.

For people who experience cybercrime incidents or require technical guidance, the CSA has provided its 24-hour Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Incident Reporting Point of Contact. Members of the public can call or text 292, contact the Authority by sending an email to report@csa.gov.gh.

The two agencies urged the public to remain alert and follow recommended cybersecurity practices, warning that the restoration of affected services does not necessarily prevent cybercriminals from exploiting the situation.

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