TRENDS IN CYBERCRIME
Public sector data leak ‘likely in future’
The IDC cites huge data leaks, ransomware and malicious software (malware) targets on internet of things platforms
International Data Corporation (IDC) has warned that SA could see a high-profile online security breach in 2017 as cybercriminals continue their attacks.IDC said 2016 was a tough year for information security, with the prevalence of huge data leaks, ransomware and malicious software (malware) targets on internet of things platforms, compounded by a shortage of technology security skills. Ransomware is a type of malware designed to encrypt data and hold it to ransom.The market intelligence firm said it believed 2017 would see at least one high-profile public breach in SA, that "is likely to be a data leak within the public sector, although we cannot rule out a malware or ransomware attack in retail or healthcare", said Jon Tullett, research manager for information technology services at IDC SA.Derek Manky from cybersecurity group Fortinet, said threats were getting smarter and were increasingly able to operate autonomously.On Thursday, the Cabinet approved the introduction of the Cyb...
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