The rise of digital connectivity has made it possible for citizens, governments, and businesses to communicate more easily and efficiently. however, for reasons alike cybercrime is becoming a growing problem in the modern world, with hackers targeting individuals and organizations.
Recently, a journalist at the Citizen was targeted by cybercriminals due to information he had published on the internet. In order to change the employee's banking details with the human resources department, they sent a fake letter by email to have the information changed.
When Gertrude Makafola experienced this incident, it prompted her to tweet about it. She stated that a scammer had emailed HR pretending to be her and asking to change her banking details. Upon analyzing the letter, he pointed out, "This looks like my @CapitecBankSA confirmation letter, however, it isn't. Fortunately, the HR manager doesn’t allow this through email or phone, you have to come in person @mtyala @BelindaaaPheto @Mizzyb1".
Citizens who are considered vulnerable should be aware that cybercriminals are lurking around waiting to take full advantage of unprotected networks as they use a variety of attack methods.
According to Mohammed Amin, Senior Vice President, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa for Dell Technologies, during October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the company is showing no signs of slowing down the rise of cybercrime, posing risks to everyone across all aspects of society.
During the year 2021, ransomware attacks increased by 150% from the previous year. More than 80% of experts say that this growth is now posing serious risks to public safety. "In today's world, cybercrime is a major threat, and these statistics indicate the severity and prevalence of this crime."
Cybercrime can affect anyone at any time, no matter who they are
It was earlier this year when a cybersecurity company raised concerns about cybercrime and the recent efforts of the hacking group SpiderLog$. This group pointed out that many of the security systems used in South African government departments were susceptible to serious cyberattacks.
The SpiderLog$ program has managed to obtain private information on President Cyril Ramaphosa from public sources. In addition to this, he also provided details about the loan he took out from a South African bank in the 2000s. In addition, he also provided details concerning his home address, ID number, and cellphone number.
According to Pankaj Bhula, Regional Director for Africa at Check Point Software, "this recent activity showed that no one - not even South Africa's President - is immune to cybercrime and that no one can protect themselves from the threat of such criminal activities."
As a result of this report, SpiderLog$ has shown that South Africa is worryingly vulnerable to cyberattacks, with the group even saying that the country is like a playground for hackers. "Therefore, this should serve as a stark reminder for all organizations to enhance cybersecurity security within their organization."
In the face of cyber threats, what can we do to protect ourselves?
Using Amin's words, the key objective should be to develop a cyber resilience strategy that is capable of anticipating and responding to significant disruptions in data systems across the world.
A more serious test of the organization’s readiness to return to "business as usual" should be how quickly and seamlessly they can do so. There are several components to such resilience including creating and implementing thorough cybersecurity training exercises amongst the workforce as one of the critical components.”
Amin said that this not only provides employees with training and knowledge about security risks and lures, but also heightens awareness and reinforces the importance of teamwork, skills, and collaboration across the organization as a whole.
He added that in the face of rapid advances in cybercrime, the use of cybersecurity and the methods employed by cybercriminals need to be at the top of the minds of the public and business sectors.
"In the age of cyberattacks, cyber security has become more than just an insurance policy against them. A resilient cyber market, if implemented effectively, can help bolster long-term economic prosperity and innovation, as well as provide us with the digital defenses we need to protect ourselves from cyberattacks in the modern era."
The following tips will help you minimize the chances of becoming a victim of cybercrime:
- Keep in mind that you should never store any personal information, including banking information, on your smart device.
- PINs or OTPs (one-time pins) are never requested by your bank, and will never be asked by your bank.
- In no case will your bank ask you to process a payment to reverse a transaction that you have already completed.
- Before you approve any transaction, make sure you carefully check the OTPs or app approval notifications that have been sent to you. Please do not approve any payment for a transaction that you are unaware of and are not aware of in advance.
- The banking app you are using needs to be updated to the most recent version and your notifications need to be enabled as well.
- On your devices, you should enable the screen lock feature.
- Choosing the most reliable antivirus or security software for your business is one of the most significant decisions you can make. Your staff members should be informed not to open unsolicited emails without first making sure that the message is virus free before opening it.
- As often as possible, make sure all your business software is up-to-date and that your technology is updated.