Kaspersky has revealed findings from its latest research, stating that 73% of cybersecurity professionals in South Africa regard cyber immunity as an effective strategy for minimising the capabilities of cybercriminals to penetrate networks and compromise systems.
These insights indicate a growing demand for developing secure by design systems instead of relying solely on additional cybersecurity solutions.
The research, commissioned by Kaspersky, aims to understand how businesses are preparing for an increasingly unpredictable cyber environment and which emerging themes are shaping the future of IT security. Within the study, 850 cybersecurity professionals from the Asia Pacific region, Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Russia were surveyed.
One focal point of Kaspersky’s study was how familiar respondents are with the term “cyber immunity” and how they assess its potential effectiveness in providing reliable protection against cyber threats.
Cyber immunity is initially defined by Kaspersky as a concept of IT and OT systems that are secure by design due to a specific development methodology and architectural requirements, and have inherit resilience against cyberattacks, minimising the costs associated with external cybersecurity solutions.
The research revealed that a remarkable 83% of respondents in South Africa are familiar with this term and understand its correct meaning.
Among those knowledgeable about the term, nearly three-quarters (73%) regard cyber immunity as a highly effective strategy for minimising the capabilities of cybercriminals trying to penetrate networks and compromise systems.
When asked about the specific cybersecurity advantages it offers, 29% of respondents from South Africa said that it could significantly reduce the frequency of cyberattacks, while 26% feel it can minimise the negative impacts of such attacks.
Notably, 45% of respondents from South Africa believe that cyber immunity could achieve both outcomes simultaneously.
These insights highlight the growing need among companies for a potential shift from usage of cybersecurity solutions for traditional vulnerability-sensitive systems to more promising secure by design systems.
“The findings confirm a shift we have long anticipated: organisations are moving beyond reactive tools and demanding systems that are secure by design,” says Dmitry Lukiyan, head of the KasperskyOS business unit. “With our cyber immunity approach to creating secure by design systems, we offer the next step — not just detecting threats, but structurally preventing them.”