The Road Traffic Infringement Agency confirmed that the site was hacked
Ruan Lombard, an IT manager from Pretoria, discovered the hack during an online forum discussion earlier this week, Beeld reported on Thursday.
He warned the website administrator to secure the site after finding a comedic tune, a cartoon and a graphic resembling a sinister Red Riding Hood and that some graffiti had been left on the www.aarto.gov.za website by a hacker who identified himself as "Red X".
Lombard told the newspaper it seemed the free Joomla! content management platform had been used to develop the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) website.
He said the hacker had not necessarily been able to access confidential information.
JP Lishman, a senior systems administrator, told Beeld it was important for high-profile sites to adhere to the best security practices.
"There is technology that can be used to prevent hacking, but it is easier for hackers to get into free platforms such as Joomla!," Lishman said.
The transport department referred queries to the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA), which administers Aarto fines.
RTIA spokesperson Fakazi Malindziza confirmed that the site was hacked, but said it contained no confidential information. – Sapa