John Mc Loughlin, CEO, J2 Software. (Image: J2 Software)

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While consumers are no strangers to phishing e-mails, fraudulent SMS messages and social media scams, the scale and complexity of cyber attacks aimed at critical sectors go far beyond these relatively simple threats.

Entire industries and governmental bodies face increasingly sophisticated attacks, which can cripple essential services, cause economic damage and compromise sensitive data on a massive scale.

Understanding the sectors most frequently targeted by cyber criminals can offer insights into the breadth and nature of these threats, highlighting the need for vigilance, investment in security and proactive measures.

According to data from the European Repository of Cyber Incidents (ERCI), critical infrastructure – facilities and services vital to the functioning of society – has become a prime target for cyber criminals. These infrastructures span everything from healthcare and finance to telecommunications and energy.

Let’s dive into the key sectors targeted by cyber crime, and take a closer look at the various cyber security challenges.

Critical infrastructure is the lifeblood of modern society, providing essential services that people rely on daily. This makes it an attractive target for cyber criminals, who seek to disrupt, steal or hold these services hostage in exchange for financial gains or other motives, such as political or ideological agendas.

In 2023, critical infrastructure was the most frequently attacked sector, according to ERCI. These cyber incidents range from ransomware attacks that lock systems until a ransom is paid to sophisticated breaches that steal sensitive data or cause system-wide disruptions. Statista’s report, based on ERCI data, emphasises just how much damage can be done when vital services come under attack.

Among the sectors of critical infrastructure, healthcare stands out as a primary target. The healthcare industry, which includes hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities, accounted for 14.2% of all attacks on critical infrastructure in 2023. The motivations for targeting healthcare organisations vary but often involve ransomware attacks, theft of confidential patient records, and disruptions to healthcare services.

Ransomware is a particularly devastating tool in the arsenal of cyber criminals targeting healthcare organisations. Attackers encrypt essential systems and files, demanding hefty sums to restore access. For healthcare providers, the stakes are incredibly high – lives can literally hang in the balance. The disruption of care services, delays in medical treatment and the potential exposure of personal healthcare information create a nightmare scenario for both patients and healthcare administrators.

One recent high-profile example involved the Clop ransomware gang, which targeted hospitals and healthcare organisations by exploiting vulnerabilities in widely-used file transfer software. This attack paralysed hospital operations, forcing many to delay patient treatments or turn away non-emergency cases.

The financial sector also remains a lucrative target for cyber criminals, accounting for 8.3% of attacks on critical infrastructure in 2023. Financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies and investment firms are natural targets because of the vast sums of money they manage, as well as the wealth of sensitive data they store.

Cyber attacks in this sector can take multiple forms, including:

• Phishing attacks aimed at obtaining login credentials for online banking or investment platforms.
• Distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks that overwhelm a bank’s online services, making them inaccessible to customers.
• Data breaches that expose personally identifiable information (PII) or financial details, leading to identity theft and other forms of fraud.

For instance, a well-coordinated attack on a large European bank this year resulted in a data breach that exposed millions of customer records. While the bank was quick to mitigate the breach, the reputational damage and financial loss were significant.

The telecommunications, transport and energy sectors also fall within the crosshairs of cyber criminals, with attacks occurring regularly in 2023. These sectors play crucial roles in ensuring that communication networks function, people and goods can move, and societies have access to power and fuel. A well-executed cyber attack against any one of these sectors can have far-reaching consequences.

• Telecommunications companies have been hit by a combination of DDOS attacks, data breaches and ransomware, often targeting critical communication infrastructure or sensitive customer data.
• The transport sector, particularly airlines and rail systems, have seen an increase in cyber attacks aiming to disrupt logistics and operations.
• The energy sector, including utilities providing electricity and fuel, remains a particularly worrying target because of the potential for large-scale blackouts or fuel supply disruptions. In 2023, several European energy companies reported being victims of cyber attacks designed to compromise operational systems and extort ransom payments.

After critical infrastructure, state institutions and political systems are the next most common targets for cyber attacks, according to ERCI, with more than 450 reported incidents in 2023. Cyber criminals, state-sponsored attackers and hacktivist groups have increasingly turned their attention to government systems in pursuit of sensitive information or to sow chaos and disinformation.

State institutions often face spear-phishing campaigns, where government employees are tricked into giving up passwords or access to sensitive systems. Some attacks, particularly those backed by nation-states, aim to infiltrate defence systems, steal military secrets or disrupt diplomatic communications.

Additionally, election interference and politically motivated attacks have continued to plague democratic systems. Countries across Europe and North America have reported attempts to manipulate voter data or spread disinformation during elections. These attacks often involve the exploitation of social media platforms and targeted disinformation campaigns designed to sow discord among the population or influence voting behaviour.

With the relentless rise in cyber attacks, organisations and governments have been forced to adopt stronger cyber security measures. The cyber threats facing critical infrastructure and state institutions have necessitated the following key strategies:

• Enhanced endpoint security: With more devices connected to corporate and institutional networks than ever before, endpoint security is becoming a central focus. Advanced endpoint protection tools, powered by machine learning and AI, can detect and stop threats before they reach sensitive systems.
• Zero trust architecture: As cyber attacks grow more sophisticated, many organisations are adopting zero trust models, which assume that no user or device –internal or external – can be trusted by default. Access is only granted after careful authentication, and users are continually monitored to ensure they pose no risk to the system.
• Backup and disaster recovery: For sectors like healthcare, where service disruption can be catastrophic, ensuring regular data backups and establishing robust disaster recovery plans are essential. Many ransomware victims have been able to recover more quickly thanks to having secure backups in place.
• Cyber security awareness training: Human error continues to be a major vulnerability. Ongoing training programmes help employees recognise phishing attempts, social engineering and other tactics used by cyber criminals.

The increase in cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, state institutions and political systems is a stark reminder that no sector is immune to the rising tide of cyber crime. As attacks grow in frequency and sophistication, organisations must bolster their cyber security defences with proactive measures.

Whether through enhanced technology, stricter access controls or comprehensive employee training, businesses and governments alike must stay vigilant to mitigate the ever-evolving threats posed by cyber criminals.

This serves as both a wake-up call and a roadmap for how industries can protect themselves against increasingly dangerous digital threats.

 

 

 

Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS.

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Enterprise data and analytics specialist SAS has acquired core software assets from Hazy, a UK-based synthetic data startup.

SAS says it is buying Hazy’s “principal software assets” and not the entire company. The acquisition will boost synthetic data generation capabilities of SAS Data Maker, an enterprise platform the company introduced earlier this year.

According to SAS, organisations use AI-generated synthetic data when real data is unavailable, inadequate, or too sensitive, costly, or biased. Synthetic data mirrors real data’s statistical patterns without exposing private information, reducing risks and expanding the data available for analytics and AI. This enables data scientists to create more balanced, reliable data sets for innovative solutions.

SAS cites Gartner statistics which claim that by 2026, 75% of businesses will use GenAI to create synthetic customer data, up from less than 5% in 2023. According to the 2023 Gartner Peer Community, Generative AI for Synthetic Data report, benefits of synthetic data for organisations include 60% improvement in model accuracy, 56% improvement in model efficiency, 45% reduction in data privacy concerns, 31% improvement in AI explainability, as well as 30% reduction in the impact of biases.

Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS, said, “Our acquisition of Hazy’s IP represents a pivotal step in our commitment to innovation in the next generation of data management and AI. Hazy is a pioneer in bringing synthetic data to market as a viable enterprise product, and analysts rank it among the top software providers in its category. By integrating their technology, we can offer our customers unparalleled opportunities to harness data safely and effectively, enabling them to experiment and model scenarios that were previously out of reach and gain a competitive advantage.”

SAS says there are also future integration opportunities with SAS Viya, the company’s cloud-based software suite that supports the entire analytics life cycle. It is used to transform raw data into operational insights that support every kind of decision an organisation makes.

Kathy Lange, research director, AI Software at IDC, says “Synthetic data is a game-changer for companies implementing AI solutions, especially in sectors with strict privacy regulations like healthcare and finance. SAS’ acquisition highlights the growing requirement for synthetic data as an integral component of a modern AI toolkit, addressing data scarcity and privacy issues, and improving model accuracy while reducing biases.”

Integrating Hazy’s technology expands upon SAS’ announcement of Data Maker in April. The platform has been available in private privew.

SAS Data Maker addresses data challenges by generating synthetic data that statistically represents original data sets without compromising privacy, while simplifying processes and saving resources.

With the integration of Hazy technology into Data Maker, SAS says its customers will be able to simulate future scenarios and speed up AI project development with faster, high-quality data generation.

Johannesburg’s 64-year-old Planetarium, in the Wits University campus in Parktown, has had a major technological upgrade.

Sporting a new name – the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome – the facility has been completely reimagined using high-resolution digital projectors.

TechCentral attended the media launch of the Digital Dome earlier this week and put together the video below, which includes footage captured using a 360-degree camera as well as an interview with the dome’s long-serving supervisor, Constant Volschenk.

Watch the video:

The Digital Dome, which will be opened to the public in February 2025, offers a “360-degree immerse experience” and will showcase a variety of shows aimed at school groups and members of the public.

It will also serve as a modern teaching venue and a collaborative research space where scientists and students can visualise their work – be it in big data, astrophysics, the digital arts, artificial medicine, microbiology and precision medicine, Wits University said in a statement.

It won’t only be used for serious work, though: the dome will also be made available from time to time for immersive videogame events. With its vast domed roof and high-resolution projectors, it promises to be an immersive gaming experience unlike anything available elsewhere.

“First completed in 1960, the old Planetarium was the first full sized planetarium in Africa,” Wits said. “The new Digital Dome is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere, made possible through an investment of R90-million from Anglo American and Wits University.

“For the past 64 years, the Planetarium has entertained, inspired and educated millions of visitors from Gauteng and beyond,” said Prof Zeblon Vilakazi, vice chancellor and principal of Wits University, who spoke at the launch event.

“Personally, I visited the old Planetarium in 1981 at the height of apartheid. It left a huge and indelible mark on me, and I believe that it played a key role in igniting a scientific spark that led to me becoming a nuclear physicist. Through the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, we hope to continue inspiring people from various disciplines, including those working in climate modelling, artificial intelligence and digital arts.”

The original analogue Zeiss projector has been replaced by 10 4K-quality Sony digital projectors that render an 8.6K-resolution image on the curved ceiling of the dome structure. Each projector has its own image generator, which is controlled by a master computer. The audio in the Digital Dome has also been upgraded to an 8.2 surround sound system. A new north wing expansion houses operational offices, exhibition areas and specialised spaces for Digital Dome show planning and design.

Communications minister Solly Malatsi’s decision to withdraw the SABC Bill is causing major ructions in the government of national unity (GNU).

Not only has his deputy and former communications minister, the ANC’s Mondli Gungubele, blasted him for announcing he was withdrawing the bill, but now minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who is also a former communications minister, has alleged he does not have the power to do so. Malatsi is senior Democratic Alliance MP, who was appointed as communications minister in the GNU by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Ntshavheni said: “It’s not a private member’s bill, it’s not Mr Malatsi’s bill. It’s a bill of cabinet and the executive, so in terms of the law he cannot withdraw it without coming to cabinet to agree for its withdrawal.

“That bill was submitted to parliament after it was submitted to cabinet. The cabinet secretariat and the leader of government business will deal with that matter in the next cabinet meeting, because there’s no minister [that can withdraw it] – even myself, I can’t withdraw any bill which has been approved by cabinet,” she said.

“Whatever limitations he might find in the bill, he must come and convince cabinet” why it should be withdrawn.

Malatsi’s decision to withdraw the SABC Bill has, however, been widely welcomed by the broadcasting industry and civil society role players.

‘Catastrophic flaws’

The SOS Coalition, Media Monitoring Africa and the South African National Editors’ Forum had all called for the bill to be scrapped. That was based on their belief that it offered “no clarity, new mechanism or purpose”.

SOS, MMA and Sanef collectively made a submission to parliament in January this year in which they expressed deep concerns regarding the bill. The organisations pointed out “a series of catastrophic and unconstitutional flaws” with the draft legislation and said it should be withdrawn.

[WATCH] Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshvheni says Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi has no powers to withdraw the SABC Bill after it was approved by the cabinet.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/dBkl7vOSQk

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) November 13, 2024

The Sunday Times, which first reported the news of Malatsi’s decision, quoted the minister as saying that the bill did not adequately address the public broadcaster’s funding model.

According to the newspaper, the bill would have also given the minister – currently Malatsi – too much power over the appointment of the SABC’s board, thereby threatening its constitutionally mandated independence from the executive arm of government.

Michael Markovitz, a former SABC board member and head of the Gibs Media Leadership Think Tank, wrote this week that Malatsi made the correct decision to withdraw the bill, saying it is “not feasible to fix a bill that is essentially a copy-paste from the 1999 statute, with some constitutionally questionable and largely unexplained alterations”.  – © 2024 NewsCentral Media

 

 

 

The 2025 edition of ITWeb’s case-study driven AI event is set for 13 February.

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As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries globally, South African companies are increasingly looking to AI to drive measurable business value. But the journey from AI adoption to ROI is complex, requiring more than cutting-edge technology.

The 2025 edition of ITWeb’s Artificial Intelligence Summit, to be held on 13 February ate The Forum in Bryanston, is designed to help local business and technology leaders navigate these complexities.

This year’s theme, ‘Uncovering the true business value of AI’ will explore where it makes sense to apply AI, how to integrate it and achieve maximum returns. Through a mix of practical case studies, expert insights, and interactive discussions, attendees will learn how to align AI initiatives with business goals, avoid hype but remain competitive in their market segment.

Event highlights

• Tailored AI strategies and roadmaps The summit will highlight the importance of a well-structured AI strategy and the need for a clear implementation roadmap. Speakers will cover how organisations can assess their AI readiness, set priorities, and create frameworks for long-term AI value.
• South African case studies This is a case study-driven event and will showcase how local companies are integrating AI into their operations, Speakers will share best practices and challenges faced along the way.
• From theory to real-world application Moving beyond theoretical discussions, the agenda focuses on identifying the true business value of AI for your organisation through examining its practical application.

Confirmed speakers

• Keynote by Nicky Verd, digital futurist As an AI thought leader and internationally recognised keynote speaker, Nicky Verd will serve as MC, guiding discussions and sharing insights on digital transformation and the future of AI.
• Neda Smith, chartered CIO, Agile Advisory Services In her presentation “Bridging the Digital Divide: Overcoming Challenges in African Language AI,” Smith will discuss how inclusive AI can spur education, communication, and economic growth across the continent.
• Panel discussion on AI Roadmaps Featuring Adv Dirontsho Mohale, group data privacy lead at Standard Bank, this panel will explore balancing quick wins with long-term AI success. Panellists will discuss strategies to align AI initiatives with business objectives.
• Pandelani Munyai, group CIO, Transnet Munyai’s talk, “Integrating AI with Legacy and Newer Technologies,” will address how businesses can integrate AI with existing systems for enhanced productivity.
• Ahmore Burger-Smidt, director of data privacy and cyber at Werksmans Attorneys In her session, “Balancing Gen AI with Data Privacy and Security,” Burger-Smidt will outline strategies for safeguarding sensitive information while maximising AI’s potential.

Book your spot

Event date: 13 February 2025Venue: The Forum, Bryanston

Whether your organisation is beginning its AI journey or looking to advance its current capabilities, ITWeb Artificial Intelligence Summit 2025 will offer the insights and tools needed to make AI work for your business.

You’ll learn from South Africa’s top AI experts and connect with peers who are navigating similar challenges and opportunities.

To find out more and to register, go to

https://www.itweb.co.za/event/itweb-ai-summit-2025/