SA under siege: Why cyber security must be a business imperative

SA under siege: Why cyber security must be a business imperative. (Image: Decision Inc.)

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As digital transformation accelerates across industries, cyber adversaries are becoming more sophisticated, leveraging automation, AI-driven attacks and ransomware as a service (RaaS) models to exploit vulnerabilities at scale. South Africa has emerged as a prime target, accounting for 40% of ransomware attacks on the continent.

Organisations that fail to take a proactive cyber security approach risk operational disruption, financial losses, regulatory non-compliance and long-term reputational damage.

January 2025: The South African Weather Service (SAWS) was hit by a cyber attack led by the ransomware as a service group, RansomHub. The attack disrupted critical services, affecting aviation and marine forecasts.

March 2025: Astral Foods, South Africa’s largest chicken producer, suffered a cyber attack on 16 March 2025. The attack impacted the company’s ability to produce chicken and make deliveries to customers.

March 2025: Pam Golding Properties experienced a cyber security breach in early March 2025, where an unauthorised party accessed its CRM system. Client contact details and ID numbers were exposed.

April 2025: Cell C confirms stolen data has been leaked by cyber attackers. Mobile operator urges vigilance as it works with authorities to mitigate the impact of the security breach.

April 2025: Africa’s largest mobile operator, MTN, experienced a cyber security incident that resulted in unauthorised access to personal information of some customers in certain markets.

These incidents are not anomalies; they highlight systemic vulnerabilities that cyber criminals continue to exploit. Attackers are no longer focused solely on large enterprises – small and mid-sized businesses, public sector organisations and supply chain partners are equally at risk.

Seventy-one percent of cyber leaders believe that small organisations have reached a critical tipping point in being unable to secure themselves against growing cyber threats, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025.

The impact of cyber attacks extends beyond immediate financial losses. A breach affects every facet of an organisation’s operations, eroding stakeholder trust and exposing businesses to regulatory scrutiny. Key consequences include:

• Operational disruption: Ransomware attacks frequently lead to prolonged system outages, affecting service delivery.
• Financial losses: Costs extend beyond ransom payments to include regulatory fines, lost revenue and incident response expenses.
• Reputational damage: Breaches undermine customer confidence, affecting long-term business viability.
• Regulatory compliance risks: Data breaches may result in non-compliance with GDPR, POPIA, ISO 27001 and NIST standards, leading to legal repercussions.

A Gartner report projects that by 2025, 45% of global organisations will have experienced attacks on their software supply chains, a significant increase from 2021. This highlights the urgent need for organisations to go beyond basic security controls and adopt a strategic, risk-based approach to cyber security that protects their digital ecosystems from emerging threats.

Cyber criminals have evolved, exploiting new attack vectors and leveraging advanced tools that outpace reactive security measures. Key threat trends include:

• AI-driven attacks: Adversaries use machine learning to automate attacks, evade detection and accelerate the exploitation of vulnerabilities.

• Ransomware as a service (RaaS): Cyber criminals now operate like businesses, offering ransomware toolkits to less sophisticated attackers, driving a surge in ransomware incidents.

• Supply chain security risks: Attackers exploit vulnerabilities in third-party vendors and service providers to gain access to critical systems.

• Endpoint vulnerabilities: The rise of remote work has expanded the attack surface, exposing corporate networks to unmanaged devices and unsecure access points.

• Insider threats and social engineering: Phishing remains one of the most effective attack methods, leveraging human error to bypass traditional security controls.

Organisations must shift from a reactive to a proactive security posture, embedding cyber security into broader enterprise risk management frameworks. A holistic cyber security strategy should include:

1. Continuous risk assessments: Conduct ongoing vulnerability scans and security posture evaluations to identify weaknesses before attackers do.
2. Threat intelligence and monitoring: Leverage AI-driven analytics and real-time monitoring to detect and respond to threats before they escalate.
3. Zero-trust architecture: Implement identity-centric security controls, ensuring that no user or device is inherently trusted.
4. Incident response and recovery planning: Develop and test structured response plans to minimise downtime and mitigate damage.
5. Cyber security awareness training: Empower employees to recognise phishing attempts, insider threats and other social engineering tactics.

As cyber threats grow in sophistication, organisations must invest in cyber security expertise that aligns with their unique risk profile and industry-specific challenges. However, the global shortage of skilled cyber security professionals makes it increasingly difficult for businesses to build in-house capabilities.

Organisations should consider strategic partnerships to access best-in-class cyber security expertise, tools and methodologies. Decision Inc. provides tailored cyber security solutions designed to help businesses achieve cyber resilience through:

• Comprehensive cyber risk assessments – identifying vulnerabilities across networks, cloud environments, endpoints and third-party integrations to strengthen security posture.
• AI-driven threat detection – implementing real-time monitoring, predictive analytics and automated response mechanisms to counter emerging threats before they escalate.
• Incident response and business continuity planning – developing structured incident response frameworks to ensure rapid containment, minimal downtime and effective remediation.
• Ongoing cyber security awareness and training – Empowering employees with the knowledge and skills to recognise threats, mitigate risks and prevent human error-driven breaches.

Cyber security is no longer just about preventing attacks; it is about ensuring business continuity, regulatory compliance and long-term resilience in an increasingly hostile digital landscape. Organisations that invest in a strategic, proactive security approach today will be the ones that remain competitive and trusted in the digital economy.