South Africa has faced two major cyber security breaches this year and has been the victim of ongoing cyber abuse over a significant period, which cost millions of Rands in losses. Over the past ten years, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) and the Department of Public Works lost over R400 million to cyber attacks. Further, the breach of the National Health Laboratory Services and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission this year has exposed South Africa's weaknesses regarding cyber security and the growing global tech skills shortage when addressing these risks.
"The World Economic Forum (WEF) released a report in January that provided a global outlook for cybersecurity. While cyber inequity is a major issue, the growing skills shortage is a major issue that will make addressing this risk very difficult," says Trisha Govender Manager: MANCOSA School of Information and Digital Technology (SIDT).
