There have been several recent and far-reaching privacy breaches that have left many South Africans vulnerable… it also means that our businesses are more exposed to risk.

Did you know?

• South Africa loses R2.2 billion a year to cybercrime, according to accenture.com
• Spam constituted almost 30% of email traffic in South Africa*
• The number of phishing attacks recorded in South Africa for
  the first half of 2021 exceeded one-million*

* Source: Phishing attacks on the decline but spam email is still a threat

Six simple, effective ways to protect against hackers

1. Use passwords

• Everywhere and on all devices. Our devices are usually linked and so offer a variety of gateways into sensitive business data. 
• We’re human and fallible, which is why password manager apps are essential to prevent the reuse of passwords or silly security mistakes such as leaving passwords near your desk or in emails. 
• Two-step or multi-factor authentication is essential for any sensitive information.

TIP: Change passwords frequently - Monthly is advisable, or whenever there is even the slightest possibility of a breach.

2. Limit permissions

• Follow the army approach of ‘on a need to know basis’ and keep employee permissions to the absolute minimum to perform a task. 
• If an individual is hacked, the potential damage is limited. Remember to cancel access for previous employees, especially those that may have a grievance.
  
  

3. Use cybersecurity software

• The internet is plagued by all sorts of dangers, from mildly annoying malware to scams, identity theft, and other web crimes. But most of them shouldn't prove to be a serious threat if you have adequate protection in place.
• Get the best you can afford. 
  
  

4. Educate your employees

• Share the what, how and why of digital security and emphasise the importance of being overly cautious.
• Digital attacks are a real and present danger.

TIP: Keep your software updated. The updates repair security flaws and help protect your data. The sooner you update, the sooner you’ll feel confident that your device is more secure.

5. Use encryption

• Install ‘HTTPS Everywhere’ which ensures that your browser will default to using the encrypted version of browsing, where there is the lock icon and the address starts with https instead of http. 
• The more ‘hidden’ you are, the better. Encrypt your hard drive because password protection on a laptop may not protect against a determined hacker.

Did you know? HTTPS stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure and uses an SSL security certificate. This certificate encrypts the communication between the website and its visitors. This means that the information you enter on the website is processed securely, so that cyber criminals cannot intercept the data.

6. Be alert

• Read your emails carefully to avoid phishing attempts. Take note of the email address and grammar. 
• NEVER submit account details in response to an email, regardless of how official it looks. If you’re unsure – contact the company directly. 
• Take precautions when you use an open Wi–Fi network and don’t  access sensitive accounts on these networks.

TIP: Keep your software updated. The updates repair security flaws and help protect your data. The sooner you update, the sooner you’ll feel confident that your device is more secure.