Data protection must be part of the culture
For years the privacy sword of Damocles hung precariously over South African businesses, threatening severe consequences and penalties for non-compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). By Imraan Kharwa, data protection officer at...
How to protect your business, customers, employees amid rising cybercrime
The plight of prominent corporates falling prey to cyber-attacks continues to make headlines throughout the country. Large businesses, however, are not the only victims of cybercrime, with research by Accenture revealing that 43% of cyber-attacks target small...
The A to Z of safety in business
As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, business owners are finding themselves having to adjust to a very different business environment. There is a cascade of complex new risks that entrepreneurs must contend with if they wish to successfully steer their business...
Escrow is the unsung hero of IP protection
Entrepreneurs are often advised by friends and family to protect their intellectual property (IP) as soon as they can during the start-up stage of their businesses, preferably before taking their new products or service to market. And often, they are directed to one...
Reversing the hidden risk of permission creep
Employees can collect a range of access rights to business systems throughout their tenure. It's a phenomenon called 'permission creep': one of the biggest cybersecurity risks for organisations today. Does the following scenario ring true? An employee starts at the...
Marsh warns to invest in robust cybersecurity controls
With cyberattacks growing in size and complexity — and underwriters more closely scrutinising their cyber risk exposures — it’s vital that businesses invest in robust cybersecurity controls. “As many of us have seen in recent years, cyberattacks just continue to...
Risk reduction and cybersecurity
Risk management is critical to a business. We can find examples as far back as recorded history allows, with ship and cargo owners routinely taking up insurance to cover risky voyages. Risk grew as companies became more complex, and today's risk manager must juggle...
SAS acquires Kamakura
SAS has acquired Honolulu-based Kamakura, which provides specialised software, data and consulting that helps financial organisations across the spectrum – banks, insurance companies, asset managers, pension funds and more – manage a variety of financial risks. SAS’...
The murky waters of cyber warfare and insurance coverage
South Africa has seen a dramatic rise in cyberattacks and successful breaches during the past two years as well as an accompanying surge in ransom demands. In the most recent high-profile attack, credit reporting agency TransUnion South Africa revealed that at least...
Cyber risks facing the retirement industry
Contending with the intensity and frequency of cyber threats to business operations is a 24/7/365 challenge. While the banking sector has intensified its cyber defences, threat actors have set their sights on the retirement industry. Not only is the financial quantum...
Taking responsibility for cybersecurity breaches
The recent spate of cyberattacks on organisations in South Africa, where data of South African citizens has been compromised, is shining a spotlight on cybersecurity, in particular, the management of data by third-party service providers. Maher Yamout, senior security...
Best practices for social media security and privacy
Social media provides a world of opportunities for an organization or individual to promote and expand a brand. A powerful form of communication that uses the internet, social media can provide any organization with a strong global presence. By Jonas Walker, security...