As more organisations prioritise digitalisation, the protection of internal and on-site data tends to slip down the priority list. But this is a mistake, one that could seriously cost a business in the event that they suffer a data breach. The hard reality, unfortunately, is that no company is safe from being attacked by cybercriminals today. Last year’s WannaCry ransomware incident was a rude awakening for many organisations, targeting devices running the Microsoft Windows operating system by encrypting sensitive business data, and demanding huge ransom payments in Bitcoin cryptocurrency to return control to the systems’ rightful owners. In all, a massive...
Businesses across South Africa have spent the past few weeks in a last minute scramble to finalise their compliance with the European Union’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by the 25 May deadline. With that deadline now past, many of those companies will again turn their attention to South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPI). The good news is that any organisation that took its GDPR efforts seriously should be well on its way to PoPI compliance. Like GDPR, PoPI aims to give ordinary people more control over their personal data and ensure that companies are more transparent in...
It isn’t a case of if a small to medium enterprise, startup, entrepreneur and genius business idea will be hacked. No, today it is a case of when. Ransomware, fraud, hacks, breaches -- the list is fairly endless, especially as cybercrime continues to evolve at a rapid rate. Research undertaken by Barclays Bank in the UK has found that cyber fraud costs the SME around £1000 (R17 000) every, single time, and cost more than 50 000 jobs. he impact is vast and the reality, according to Experian, is that around 51% of small businesses don’t have a response plan in...
Digital culture is not quite what it looks like at face value. Digital culture is not defined as one where everyone lives on a digital platform 24/7. Sure there are certainly large pieces of activity that can be devoted to being on a digital platform, but this is not what makes for a digital culture. The first definition might define a consumers digital culture. One filled with selfies; the near-constant voyeurism of social media and an opinion on everything. But this is not the definition of a digital culture within your business. When we look at the conundrum that is digital...
In this age of shrinking markets and shrinking margins, creativity is the only agency currency. It’s the X factor that can’t be boxed, quantified or evaluated. It is the mixed result of human endeavour and divine inspiration. Sometimes it comes together in one moment of brilliance, other times it can be likened to mining gold -- long hours in a dark tunnel with very little light. The problem is that creativity requires time, and time -- as they say -- is money. So how can businesses ensure that they are striking the best balance between time and money? Ensuring that their...
Recent reports of large data breaches are alarming for everyone. Customers worry about the implications of having their financial and personal information hijacked. The organisations that were compromised worry about both the near-term and the long-term effects on their business and other organisations worry if they will be next. Two things are certain, though. The cost of a data breach is going to be really expensive, and it’s not going to be the last time it happens. The big question everyone is asking is, what do I do about this? Perform a risk assessment A thorough risk assessment helps ensure you are focussed...
2018's global IT spend is forecast to experience nearly double the growth seen in 2017, Gartner revealed in its latest report. The intelligence firm suggested that IT spend is set to top US$3.7-trillion this year, an increase of 6.2% over last. That also marks the highest annual growth rate Gartner has forecast since 2007. 2017's growth figure fell just short of 4%. But the increase in spend is seemingly pegged to currency, and not an increased demand for IT solutions. "Although global IT spending is forecast to grow 6.2 per cent this year, the declining US dollar has caused currency tailwinds, which are...
While massive data breaches are associated with international companies such as Ashley Madison or LinkedIn, South Africa is no stranger to customer data being released into the public domain by cybercriminals. In fact, it was in October 2017 when security expert Troy Hunt stumbled across the largest data breach in South African history. The personal data of millions of South Africans was compromised when a database backup file titled "masterdeeds.sql" was leaked publicly online. The data contained millions upon millions of ID numbers, as well as contact details, addresses and income of certain individuals. It's rumoured that even President Jacob Zuma's...
Companies have a lot more to spend on IT this year than last, according to the latest by research firm Gartner. The company's findings suggests that global IT expenditure will top US$3.7-trillion in 2018, up by 4.5% over 2017. This is largely thanks to a shift in spending patterns. "Projects in digital business, blockchain, Internet of Things, and progression from big data to algorithms to machine learning to artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to be main drivers of growth," explained John-David Lovelock, Gartner's research VP. Enterprise software will continue to see the largest increase over the previous year, with a forecast spend 9.5%...
Innovation is a driving force behind business improvement and increased productivity. The internet and mobile technology, for example, now enable employees to work from anywhere and to collaborate with colleagues in other offices with ease. Virtualisation and cloud have made businesses more agile and effective. Automation software frees up employees’ time by enabling them to focus on doing their core jobs without getting bogged down performing simple, repetitive tasks. When used properly, technology presents a wide range of ways for businesses to work more efficiently and, in doing so, to be more productive. Those modern businesses that tap into current innovations...
Vodacom's first commercially available Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) network is now live in Gauteng. This announcement is the latest in a string of IoT plays made by the company this year. The NB-IoT network, the company hopes, will accelerate the growth of IoT in South Africa by allowing customers to build and run Low Power Wide Area network (LPWAN) applications. LPWAN is slower than the likes of WiFi, but covers much greater areas and allows for devices to be connected more efficiently. In September 2017, Vodacom announced its three-millionth device IoT connection, and currently sees around 55 000 new devices registered on its network each...
Starting up a business from scratch is no small affair -- after all, there is tons of behind-the-scenes work that goes into registering and coordinating your company. Not only do you have legal requirements such as registering as an entity and creating sound contracts for employees, but you also have to make sure that the necessary infrastructure is there to allow you company to function on a daily basis. Luckily in the digital era, there is a slew of online services which can help you get (and stay) up and running. Here are five online services that can help your new business. Legal...
Blockchain technology is all the rage right now, but slowly it's becoming less of a fad and a more commonplace solution for big technology and financial firms. The latest to adopt it wholeheartedly is Mastercard. Already using the technology in-house, the company today announced that it will open up its blockchain APIs to developers looking to build solutions on top of its product. "Mastercard's blockchain solution provides a new way for consumers, businesses and banks to transact and is key to the company's strategy to provide payment solutions that meet every need of financial institutions and their end-customers," the company noted...
Cybersecurity has been at the forefront of conversation for companies and individuals this year, especially in the wake of the Equifax hack, the Deloitte breach, and Yahoo's big revelation yesterday. But which industries are the most attacked? Kaspersky today issued its Threat Landscape for Industrial Automation Systems in H1 2017 report that revealed some notable worldwide internet security trends. Based on the company's findings, March was the most active month for cyber attacks so far. Kaspersky also claims its products blocked around 37.6% of attack attempts on ICS computers in the first half of 2017. "This figure was almost unchanged compared to the previous...
Employees have been called the weakest link in a business's cybersecurity – a particularly notable problem in a time where high-profile hacks and ransomware attacks are on the rise. A favourite target of hackers is small-to-medium business – as they often have higher cash pools than individuals, but lack the cybersecurity of major institutions. But even if your cybersecurity is up to scratch, an employee who is unfamiliar with digital threats can cost you dearly. Here are three ways your employees can put your business cybersecurity at risk: Opening emails with malicious software While many people have wised up to the typical scams that...
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