The recent tweets of the American president have brought South Africa to the forefront of headlines internationally. It wasn’t a good news story but focused on murder rates and forced property acquisition.
Civil unrest and safety in RSA have long grabbed attention outside our borders and within. While the spotlight has sometimes been needed to amplify a cry for change, at other times it has been used to manipulate public opinion, for politicking purposes, or fear-mongering.
The world at large watches as we develop into a new young democratic nation and is quick to jump on our vulnerabilities and even exploit our statistics to bolster self-serving arguments. South Africa has a global reputation for crime – what would make front page news overseas is simply a common occurrence in parts of South Africa.
We South Africans seem to have become desensitised to crime. Talk to the average South African trying to get through the daily grind and you may find that a resigned sort of apathy or even antipathy towards what can be done to curb crime.
Before we indulge in alarmist rhetoric or disengage and check out completely, we should start with a deep breath and seek to regain clarity.
- Get the Facts i.e. Education on Risks Africacheck.org is a great place to start when it comes to national myth versus reality.
- Take Precautions
- Build Strong Community Connections
Cyber Safety - How you View your Data, Determines how you protect your data:
Cyber Crime is affecting South Africans at an increasing rate. Personal and company data is valuable! Its loss can be detrimental to a successful future. Don’t let your data disappear due to theft or negligence! Don’t let inaction, ignorance, or defeatism keep you from taking pro-active practical steps to protect data assets.
Here are three possible approaches to Security that extend to IT Systems and Data Security.
- Casual Approach: This is mostly a non-action approach. It represents a carefree almost lackadaisical view towards protecting one’s assets. An everyday example would be the loss of a banknote due to carelessness such as not putting it back in one’s wallet. One cannot be outraged that the bank note is picked up by someone else in a public domain space. In an IT world this could amount to failing to install any safety measures at all and suffering a data or system hack or breach. We are not saying it’s your fault; the fault lies with the criminal – just don’t be surprised by the fact that there are online criminals who can generate value from individual and business network data.
- Reactionary Approach: This approach involves expending more effort retrieving what is stolen than preventing its theft to begin with. An everyday example could be a child leaving their bicycle outside overnight, unsecured. Then posting flyers around the neighbourhood offering a reward for its return. The private possession is not left or lost in a public sphere but it is likewise not properly secured or looked after. An IT situation that illustrates this is - instead of instituting measures to protect oneself from Ransomware & Malware , one just ‘takes a chance’ and then hopes they can pay up to reclaim their stolen data or reverse the malware damage done. This scenario often results in the public becoming aware of the targeted business’s lack of security.
- Comprehensive ‘True Safety’ Approach: This approach relies on proper risk assessment and appropriate action taken before security is compromised. It is a view that acknowledges risk and makes a move to mitigate and eliminate it. This approach could be compared to a Home Invasion scenario where a clear perimeter is both set and guarded. I.e. security features have been installed, alarms are monitored, rapid response arrives quickly, and insurance replaces items taken or damaged. In an IT incident this is a “best-case-scenario”. It translates to expert risk appraisal, monitored systems, and complete Backup and Disaster Recovery practiced protocols [which are regularly tested].
Achieving IT Security
The only truly pro-active approach to Cyber Crime is a Comprehensive Approach that takes it seriously and head on. True protection is multi-dimensional and always includes a hearty Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan.
A Community of Allies
Joining hands with System 5 IT Security experts means you don’t have to figure it out on your own! Make use of our professional knowledge and let us perform an IT Security Risk Assessment on your current system: free of charge & without disruption to business operations. We cater for medium-size and enterprise-level businesses with scalable, customized plans that represent your priorities and that can grow with your business. We partner with Industry stalwarts to ensure that you get the best-of-breed software & hardware when it comes to your system.
IT Security ‘A’ team partners include, Sophos, EsEt and Pulseway.
Contact System 5 today to secure your IT systems.