60% of SA businesses vulnerable to cyber-attacks
With a recent spike in cyber-attacks, an expert believes more than half of South African companies could fall victim to such an attack within the next five years.
Dynamic Recovery Services (DRS), an IT risk management-and governance company, has called on South Africans to take the necessary precautions to ensure they do not fall victim.
In May, hundreds of thousands of computers were infected by the WannaCry ransomware attack in various countries.
Major companies were reportedly affected including FedEx, some major car manufacturers and government departments in the UK, Russia, China and Japan.
The WannaCry wallets - accounts into which the money was paid by victims - have recently been emptied.
While South Africa was largely unaffected by the ransomware, DRS COO Edwin Moremi warns South Africans still need to be prepared.
Ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly popular, mainly due to its ease of use by the perpetrators.
These attacks most often come in the form of an email, suggesting the victim has won something or will inherit a large sum of money.
The aim is to get the victim to open the email and click on the links inside - either could then activate the infection.
Moremi has some advice for individuals and companies to prepare for such attacks.