Cyber security complexity is increasing at a pace that many companies are struggling to match, driven by AI-powered threats, expanding attack surfaces and a persistent skills shortage, according to Exclusive Networks.
ITWeb spoke to Stefan Van de Giessen, GM for sub-Saharan Africa at Exclusive Networks, ahead of the ITWeb Security Summit 2026 in Johannesburg, taking place on 2 and 3 June at the Sandton Convention Centre.
ITWeb Security Summit 2026
To learn more about defending organisations against today’s evolving cyber threats, register for ITWeb Security Summit Cape Town 2026 or ITWeb Security Summit 2026 in Johannesburg, where global and local experts will unpack the latest security trends and solutions.
The company’s decision to sponsor the ITWeb Security Summit 2026 is aimed at engaging with Africa’s cyber security ecosystem. The event provides an opportunity to connect with CISOs, CIOs and security leaders, and to address issues such as AI-driven attacks, supply chain vulnerabilities and the cyber security skills gap.
“The summit aligns with our role as a go-to-market specialist focused on solving real-world security challenges,” said Van de Giessen. “It also reflects ongoing investment in engagement with the African cyber security community.”
At the event, Infoblox – an Exclusive Networks vendor – will present a workshop on pre-emptive security through improved visibility. The session will examine how companies can detect threats earlier by analysing everyday internet traffic.
The workshop will also show how this data can be used to identify compromised devices, command-and-control activity and data exfiltration attempts, and how these insights can be integrated into existing security tools.
This focus on visibility addresses a gap in many organisations’ security strategies, where responses often occur only after an attack has caused damage. “Attacks start quietly, long before alerts are triggered. Without early visibility, organisations only see the impact once it’s too late,” said Van de Giessen. “If you can’t see a threat early, you can’t stop it in time.”
For business leaders, cyber security is no longer limited to IT and has direct implications for resilience, revenue and reputation. “Organisations should assume disruption is inevitable. The focus should shift from trying to be unbreachable to ensuring the business can continue operating under attack,” said Van de Giessen.
Looking ahead to 2026, Exclusive Networks expects the African cyber security market to grow, with AI playing a significant role. Increased regulatory pressure and the adoption of cloud, mobile and fintech are expanding the attack surface.
Share
