Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, is a collaboration between Government and the private sector to raise awareness about digital security to empower South Africans to protect their personal data from digital forms of crime.
According to the National Cybersecurity Framework (IFMS) of South Africa, “The numerous cyber-attacks launched in recent years aimed at undermining the functioning of public and private sector information systems have placed the abuse of cyberspace high on the list of international and local security threats. Given the seriousness of cyber threats, it is therefore imperative that the use of Information Communications Technology solutions be supported by a high level of security measures and a sophisticated cybersecurity culture. For this reason, cyber threats need to be addressed at both global and national levels”.
The IFMS has secured what is referred to as the IFMS Cloud, hosted by the State Information Technology Agency (SITA). This is a private cloud which means that the IFMS data is hosted in an environment that will actively protect it against unauthorised access and harm caused by a security breach. This will protect state information from any cyber-attack that could potentially undermine the functioning of the public sector information systems. SITA was established in 1999 to consolidate and coordinate the Government’s Information Technology resources, increase delivery capabilities, and along with the Government Information Technology Office (GITO) at the DBE, ensure the maintenance and safety of the network and user information security.
The current status quo for cybersecurity in Africa indicates that Africa experienced the highest attacks in 2021 across five surveyed regions. Organisations in Africa had to deal with an average of 1,582 cyber attacks every week, a 13% increase from 2020. With a 75% increase in attacks compared to 2020, the education and research sectors experienced the highest volume of cybercrime in 2021. Out of 16 sectors surveyed, Government and the Military came second, seeing a 47% increase in cybercrime. 75% of African companies have encountered challenges recruiting and retaining qualified cybersecurity professionals. Russian hackers deployed at least nine families of wiper malware, malicious code intended to destroy or “wipe” targeted computer systems and two types of ransomware against over 100 Government and private-sector organisations.
The benefits of cyber security are to protect networks and data from unauthorised access and to ensure improved information security and business continuity management. This also results in the speedy recovery of a breach. In recognition of the 20th year of Cybersecurity, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) announced a new enduring cybersecurity awareness programme under the theme: “Secure Our World” to encourage users to take action to protect themselves when online or using connected devices. The programme promotes behavioural change, focusing on how individuals, the sector, governments and businesses can Secure Our World by focusing on the four critical actions.
Strong passwords are long, random, unique and include all four character types (uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols). Password managers are a powerful tool to help create strong passwords for accounts. You need more than a password to protect online accounts, especially email, social media and financial accounts and enabling Multifactor Authentication (MFA) extra security by confirming identities when logging into accounts, like entering a code texted to a phone or one generated by an authenticator app. MFA significantly increases online security even if passwords become compromised, unauthorized users will be unable to meet the second step requirement and will not be able to access accounts. Be cautious of unsolicited messages asking for personal information. Avoid sharing sensitive information or credentials with unknown sources. Report phishing attempts and delete the message. Ensuring software is up to date is the best way to ensure you have the latest security patches and updates on your devices. Regularly check for updates if automatic updates are not available.
Useful cybersecurity tips will be shared throughout the month to assist DBE employees and public service officials in guarding against attacks and to create awareness about cybersecurity awareness. GITO is currently conducting cybersecurity awareness. The State Security Agency (SSA) was invited to present to Senior and Broad Management. The last session will be focussed on presenting to all staff members.