Cybersecurity Africa
Microsoft Phasing Out the Need for Passwords
Image sourced from NS Energy. Microsoft has said that from today its users can begin removing the password associated with their Microsoft accounts and begin using a new suite of methods to sign in instead. The tech empire says that going passwordless is “the next generation of account security” and that once a user removes the password from their account, they will need to sign in using one of several passwordless methods, including the Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a physical/biometric key like a thumbprint scanner or Microsoft SMS codes. According to a blog post published by Microsoft, ridding your account of a traditional password and using any of the above methods is actually safer. Passwords have become a cybersecurity risk as of late. Hackers use programs to “brute for...
3 Trends to Understand the Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape
Image sourced from Feed Navigator. Given the global disruption that took place last year, it is hardly surprising that malware increased by 358% and ransomware by 435% as compared to 2019. The rapid push to digitalise and embrace work from home solutions meant companies not only had to accelerate data migration projects to the cloud but also remain cognizant of how best to secure employee endpoint devices while keeping the impact on productivity to a minimum. What makes the likes of malware and ransomware so difficult to combat is that successful attacks on corporate networks and endpoint devices can potentially remain hidden for months giving the hacker access to a veritable treasure trove of information. Attackers can encrypt this compromised data at any time, resulting in significant da...
Today’s New Business Normal Creates Threat Opportunities
Image sourced from Feed Navigator. The COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses of all shapes and sizes to make rapid changes in how they operated, with employees predominantly working remotely and sensitive data and systems being accessed from outside the office. For many, this triggered an increased reliance on remote-access infrastructure and cloud-delivered services. IT departments rushed to install, expand, or upgrade remote desktop access (RDA) servers, virtual private network (VPN) concentrators, and remote access routers to meet surging workforce demand for remote access to data centres. Moreover, widespread reliance on video conferencing apps forced many businesses to upgrade enterprise wide-area network and local-area network capacity, as well as to re-evaluate routing and DNS re...
5.8-Million Attacks Detected in Malware Disguised as PC Games
Image sourced from Wccftech. Over 5.8 million attacks by malware and unwanted software disguised as popular PC games were detected and prevented by Kaspersky and its cybersecurity solutions globally from Q3 2020 to Q2 2021. This increased volume may be connected to the rapid growth of gaming activities during the pandemic. The data comes from the latest game-related cyberthreats report by Kaspersky, in which researchers assessed the changes of gaming-related threats during the pandemic. The gaming industry witnessed unprecedented growth over the past 18-months, in part, thanks to users being forced to find alternative means of entertainment as they stayed at home. Even though the world has become safer this year, the demand for games persists, and the industry is predicted to grow even fur...
Take Steps Now to Protect Your Organisation as Ransomware-as-a-Service Ramps Up DDoS Attack Offerings
Image sourced from Ben Kerckx, Pixabay. The services industry has traditionally included sectors ranging from social assistance and health care to transportation and scientific services. However, it doesn’t end there, because the human talent for innovation can turn almost anything into a service. We also find – rather less top-of-mind for most people – the offer of hitmen-as-a-service, usually associated, at least in Hollywood, with large and well-muscled men in expensive suits and sunglasses. A few years ago, this area of business moved into the cyber arena as well. And so we present: ransomware-as-a-service. Today, one of its latest offerings is a ‘triple threat’ that turns Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks into an even more lethal cyber weapon against organisations. Carole H...
6 PoPIA Tips to Ensure Security and Compliance
The full implementation of the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA) heralds a new era of control and privacy for South African citizens and organisations, and holds the promise of deepening trust between organisations and their customers – provided organisations remain fully compliant. According to Cameron Beveridge, Regional Director Southern Africa at SAP, trust is the key to success in the digital economy. “Privacy and trust are essential elements in building strong connections with customers and ensuring a positive customer experience (CX) in today’s business environment. In fact, some studies have found that up to 90% of customers believe how their data is treated is indicative of the way they will be treated as a customer, and 91% won’t purchase from a company if they don’t...
Ozone Builds a World of Cybersecurity Solutions for SA Businesses
Ozone Information Technology Distribution [Ozone] has developed a comprehensive portfolio designed to provide organisations with robust cybersecurity, file sharing, digital forensics, and business continuity. This solutions-driven portfolio includes Neverfail, Nuix, WhatsUp Gold, MoveIT, Kerio Control, GFI Languard, and Keeper Password Management, among others. “The current cybersecurity climate is extremely challenging for local organisations,” says Henk Olivier, MD at Ozone Information Technology Distribution.” “Companies need better tools and solutions to help protect them from the increasingly complex and intelligent threat actors that put their data and employees at risk. This complex environment, and the rigorous compliance requirements now mandated by the Protection of Personal Info...
Malware Attacks in Africa Reach 85-Million in 6 Months – Kaspersky
Image sourced from Sectigo. According to research performed by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, malware is rife across Africa with various countries exhibiting strong growth in all malware types in the first half of 2021 when compared to the same period last year. This is a 5% increase in the region, as cybercriminals and hackers continue to focus on African countries considering digital transformation advancements and the increase in remote working resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, 4 countries account for 85 million attacks, with South Africa being the most targeted (32-million attacks), followed by Kenya (28.3-million), Nigeria (16.7-million) and Ethiopia (8-million). All countries but Kenya saw the relative growth of all malware attacks. Ethiopia and Nigeria have seen an incre...
Cybersecurity Should Be a Top Priority for Africa’s Digital Transformation
Sourced from Travellers Cloud adoption in South Africa and many other African countries is accelerating, helped along by the COVID-19 workplace disruption, and the need to reduce costs, manage risk and scale, and become more competitive. There are many drivers behind digital transformation strategies and many decisions that need to be made, such as which public cloud to consume. However, this should be less urgent than addressing security concerns. As we continue to work with organisations in different industries spread across our diverse continent, cybersecurity and cyber risk are increasingly important considerations for the C-suite. Against the backdrop of high-profile security breaches and ransomware, addressing security weaknesses are a key part of the success of digital transformatio...
The Average Data Breach Costs Over $4-Million in 2021
According to data presented by Atlas VPN, the average financial damages caused by a data breach increased by nearly 10% year over year to $4.24 million in 2021. This is the highest spike since 2015. A data breach can have a number of negative implications for a business, including lost sales, a tarnished reputation, data recovery fees, and possibly employee layoffs. “The record-high average losses can be directly linked to the rapid onset of remote work, as it created many new loopholes for cybercriminals to exploit,” Edward Garb, a cybersecurity researcher at Atlas VPN, comments on the findings. The numbers are provided by IBM, where between May 2020 and March 2021, researchers conducted roughly 3,500 separate interviews with individuals from 17 countries and 537 firms that had experience...
Exclusive Networks Partners with Networks Unlimited, Eyes Sub-Saharan Africa Expansion
Anton Jacobsz, Networks Unlimited CEO Exclusive Networks, a global trusted cybersecurity specialist for digital infrastructure, has entered into an exclusive agreement with Networks Unlimited with the intention to pursue discussions around a potential acquisition. Networks Unlimited is a major regional value-added distributor focused predominantly on cybersecurity and infrastructure markets, with numerous key vendor relationships in common with Exclusive. Headquartered in South Africa with further operations in Kenya and Mauritius, its partner ecosystem gives it access to 38 national markets across the continent. The agreement would bolster Exclusive Networks’ presence in the region, expanding its global footprint and creating additional opportunities for vendors and customers of both orga...
Transnet Undergoes Apparent Ransomware Hack
Image sourced from News24. South Africa’s logistics and port operator Transnet has been the victim of an apparent ransomware attack, with its IT systems, websites and Navis container terminal OS going offline yesterday morning. The hack was first identified when several stakeholders in the freight industry were not able to access the container terminals at the Durban port in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). “There was a memo issued to staff on Thursday morning that their terminal computers had been hacked and it came from the Transnet IT system. They said that they were working on it, but by Thursday afternoon the system was still offline,” said one stakeholder, quoted by The Sowetan. “Some operations, including rail, has gone manual but the end result is that no import containers are able to be proce...
