The definitive guide to cybersecurity

The topic of cybersecurity has grown increasingly prevalent in news reports in recent years. Cybercriminals steal sensitive data from companies and government agencies by breaking into their cloud storage systems or social media platforms and extracting passwords and user names and addresses.

We’ve compiled a definitive guide to cybersecurity for businesses.

Information confidentiality, integrity, and availability are the cornerstones of cybersecurity, which is the activity of safeguarding computer systems, networks, and data from malicious actors. The term refers to the collection of tools and procedures used to safeguard digital infrastructures and the information stored in them.

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A cyber attack is when someone tries to steal, reveal, change, deactivate, or destroy information by getting into computer systems without permission.

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of cybercrime and cybersecurity-related offences committed in South Africa in recent years. In 2021, cybercriminals modified their offensive strategy to take advantage of vaccination mandates, elections, and the trend toward hybrid working in order to disrupt businesses’ supply chains and networks.

South Africa’s reputation as a centre for cybercrime has grown significantly, and the country now ranks sixth worldwide in terms of cybercrime density. South Africa has also had the biggest year-on-year growth in cybercrime, with an increase in cyber-attacks of more than 200% since 2019.

Because of the severity of the damages that can result from cyber-attacks, it is crucial for businesses to gain a thorough awareness of the cyber dangers to which they are exposed.

Types of cyber attacks

Malware

Malware is penetrating software created by cybercriminals to steal information or harm computers, systems and networks. Large quantities of information can be stolen by malware. Viruses, worms, trojan viruses, spyware, adware, and ransomware are all examples of malicious software.

Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts files on a target device, making those files and the systems they depend on useless. Once the system is encrypted, the people who did it ask for money in exchange for decrypting it.

Viruses

A computer virus is a malicious piece of software that can infect multiple computers and any other networked devices it encounters. A virus’s purpose is to grant the attacker access to the compromised computers. Many viruses masquerade as useful programmes before wreaking havoc on computers, stealing data, disrupting services, or downloading yet more malicious software.

Fake news

Deep fake social engineering attacks, which utilise AI to generate videos and photographs of fake events, pose a much more serious threat than traditional forms of bogus news and are used by criminals to gain access to confidential information.

What to do?

Employees

To some extent, the people who work for a company are the first line of defence against cyber attacks. Employees that don’t follow proper cybersecurity procedures are a common target of cyberattacks. Password compromises and sending emails to the wrong people are two typical ways in which employees expose their employers to cyber attacks. For this reason, it is crucial for businesses to provide their staff with extensive cybersecurity awareness training.

Keeping updated

In an effort to cut costs, many companies are reluctant to abandon the use of outdated computer systems. However, the cybersecurity threats that many companies face as a result of their continued reliance on these systems are just too great to ignore. Due to the ever-changing nature of cyber threats, even a small company can quickly find itself vulnerable to damaging attacks. Because of this, it is crucial for businesses to routinely upgrade their hardware and implement new security measures.

Prepared response

With the help of an Incident Response Plan, businesses can create a strategy and operational structure to deal with cyber-attacks and data breaches in a timely and effective manner. Companies that don’t take the effort to create reliable plans often find themselves unprepared to deal with cyber threats in a reasonable timeframe, which can result in even greater losses and harm.

Find expert help

Get in touch with an expert who can aid you. Cybersecurity professionals safeguard systems from cyber threats, -vulnerabilities, and -risks by monitoring, detecting, investigating, analysing, and responding to security events. Information technology departments often employ cybersecurity experts whose job it is to ensure the security of a company’s networks and data.