Local IT leaders under severe pressure

Whether a CIO, CISO or IT manager, there has never been a more difficult time to be an IT leader.

First off, companies are under threat from cyber attacks. The situation is only getting worse. Recent reports show ransomware and whaling scams (a version of phishing) on the rise.

IT leaders have had to secure corporate networks even while employees work from home. In most instances, employees were set up to work from home within two days. Usually, such projects could take years to correctly implement. Fraudsters are seeking to capitalise on vulnerabilities enabled by the rush.

Financial controllers are now moving millions between company accounts from living rooms. HR managers are sharing employees’ personal information from kitchen tables. Millions of workers are accessing company data using personal laptops and phones.

According to the UN, increased reliance on digital has encouraged cyber criminals. This has resulted in a 600% increase in attacks.

Then there is mounting legislative pressure. When the POPI grace period ends in a few months (1 July 2021), consequences will be severe. Our government will impose financial penalties and jail terms for non-complying company executives.

Organisations have to use a privacy strategy and data protection policy. This must be enabled by secure and reliable data protection technologies.

This is an unprecedented situation. There has never been a time in our history when the pressure and reliance on IT was as severe. IT is no longer relegated to a mere support function. Nor is IT seen as a cost centre spending on devices.

Today, senior business leaders look to IT for leadership and guidance. Increasingly, IT is in the driving seat of major company decisions. IT leaders themselves need the support of quality resources and information. It is easy to get lost in the sea of agenda-driven content bombarding IT leaders.

With this in mind, a group of seasoned IT professionals have configured a resource page for SA IT leaders. Based on role title, the page will direct the user to a single, valuable resource. This prevents overwhelm and aids the user in a relevant and personal way. As a rule, all resources are strictly free of charge. The page is relevant to all IT leaders, including CIOs, CISOs and IT managers.

"We know that this kind of service was lacking in SA," says founding contributor Kerushan Govender. "We expect to see significant uptake of the resources we are making available."

URL: www.itmanager.co.za