As SA moves from number 58 to 31 in the rankings on the most ransomware attacks globally, we take a look at our weaknesses and vulnerability as a country.
It seems that now is the time for cyber-security experts to join forces to bring about new awareness of cyber threats in the country. The statistics are not altogether unbelievable when you consider that in 2016, ransomware attacks increased by a whopping 400%. That translates to an average of 4 000 ransomware attacks each day, and that’s just the attacks that are reported and that we are aware of. While the USA is in total despair over the millions of dollars being wasted on cyber-attacks, South Africa should take heed and raise the levels of security threat awareness.
In 2016 South Africa ranked at number 58 in the list of the 117 countries suffering the most cyber attacks. In less than a year, SA has jumped up to the 31st most attacked country, losing around R50 billion to such attacks.
SA industry experts must be doing something wrong…or at least consumers, business owners and the public sector are suffering bliss through ignorance. Something has to be done and it’s believed that now is the time for industry role players to get to work creating better public awareness of threats and educating people on how to safeguard themselves, business and family from cyber related crimes.
Where South Africa’s Cyber Security Fails
One of the biggest cyber security weak spots in SA is how people and businesses view the threat of cybercrime. The severity and danger of data theft and leaks is often not fully grasped as the criminal can’t physically be seen and the threat doesn’t appear to be life-threatening.
This is where so many people put themselves at even greater risk. Just because one cannot see the weapon being wielded does not mean that the threat does not exist. As a result, when a business or a consumer becomes a victim of cybercrime, they don’t report it to the relevant authorities (insurance providers and the police).
Of course that’s not the only reason why such crimes aren’t reported in SA. In some instances, a business will fear losing face and the loyalty of their consumers.
Other weaknesses in SA cyber security include:
1. Unsecured internet facing servers
2. Outdated or no email encryption in place
3. No IT professionals on site or advising on general cyber security practices in the work place
4. Little to no security threat awareness or protections in place
5. Storing sensitive data and information on site instead of backing up to the cloud (with data encryption)
What SA Needs to Do About its Cyber Security Status
South Africa has a proposed Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Bill where criminals will be brought to book. The general consensus amongst industry leaders is that the country as a whole needs to prevent the problem instead of simply looking for a course of action that can be taken after the fact.
The first step that South African’s need to take is to understand the value in data encrypted back-ups.
How does this help? Ransomware basically holds your computer or hard drive data hostage in exchange for money. If the only copy that you have of your data is on your personal or business device, you have no option. You either pay the money over or suffer the loss of your data. However, with back-ups, you can simply restore your data (from your backup) once the device has been cleared of the ransomware without having to pay a cent. It’s a fail proof disaster recovery strategy
Installing early detection and threat prevention software is also important. If you are transacting online and don’t have security on your device, you’re at risk. Big risk.
Lastly, it’s also essential to educate your workforce on the potential threats and how to conduct themselves with business devices, systems and networks to mitigate such security threats. With everyone doing their bit to create awareness and conduct themselves safely online and with business data, we can change those shocking statistics.
If you want to get started with improving on your cyber security, take the time to learn more about the features of encrypted data backup and consider one of our packages for home and business computers and devices.