January saw a marked escalation in ransomware attacks.
The opening months of 2026 have delivered a clear message to organisations worldwide as cyber resilience is no longer optional. January alone saw a marked escalation in ransomware attacks and large-scale data breaches across multiple sectors. Healthcare networks, government institutions and private enterprises alike experienced significant operational disruption, underscoring the reality that no organisation is insulated from today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape. In response to this heightened risk environment, WithSecure has advanced a renewed and focused strategy to support enterprises across Africa and globally in strengthening their cyber defences.
Insights from the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 point to a widening “cyber equity gap”, where smaller organisations and emerging markets remain disproportionately exposed to cyber threats due to constrained resources and limited defensive capacity. This dynamic is particularly relevant across the African continent, where digital transformation initiatives are accelerating at pace and yet cyber security maturity often struggles to keep up.
Against this backdrop, WithSecure has concentrated its efforts in early 2026 on strengthening managed detection and response capabilities, expanding AI-driven threat hunting to counter fast-moving ransomware campaigns that propagate across interconnected systems. The company has also intensified its focus on cloud security, delivering solutions specifically aligned to the needs of African enterprises transitioning workloads to cloud environments, while ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks such as POPIA. In parallel, WithSecure continues to deepen collaborative partnerships with local IT providers and reseller networks, enabling the delivery of context-specific resource-aware cyber security solutions that directly address the disparities highlighted in recent global analyses.
Why this matters for Africa
The January surge in cyber incidents demonstrated how threat actors exploit interconnected digital ecosystems, transforming widely used platforms into powerful vectors for rapid compromise. In this environment, prevention alone is insufficient. WithSecure’s emphasis on enhanced visibility, real-time observability and rapid containment reflects a pragmatic and forward-looking approach that aligns closely with the operational realities faced by African organisations.
As ransomware campaigns and supply chain breaches continue to dominate the global agenda, WithSecure’s proactive posture provides a credible blueprint for sustainable resilience. By combining international expertise with strong local collaboration, the company is positioning itself as a trusted cyber security partner for African enterprises committed to safeguarding their digital future with confidence and clarity.
About the author
Darreth Gordon is Sales Manager at CyberVision, a leading value-added distributor of advanced cyber security solutions across Africa. With extensive experience in channel development and enterprise security strategy, Gordon works closely with reseller partners and end-user organisations to strengthen their cyber resilience in an increasingly complex threat landscape.
