The Cybersecurity CISO War: How Eskom’s Sithembile Songo is Blasting Away Cyber Attacks

Don’t get it twisted. Cybersecurity is no longer optional. It’s the only way you can protect your assets from the millions of cyber attacks that happen every hour. And if you don’t take the required measures, you’ll be toast.

And that’s exactly what Sithembile Songo, the brave CISO of Eskom, is keeping at bay. In an alarming revelation, Songo revealed to ITWeb TV that Eskom fends off up to one BILLION attempted cyber attacks a month. Yes, you read that correctly – BILLION.

"What’s even more astonishing is that every single one of those attacks could easily have been a full-blown assault on our critical infrastructure," Songo warned. "Imagine the scale of the damage that could have been wreaked if our security measures aren’t in place."

The Hackers’ Playground

"Third-party breaches have been notoriously prevalent," Songo acknowledged. "Cybercriminals seem to have an endless supply of holes to exploit, from outdated tech to unpatched vulnerabilities."

And worse still, Songo revealed the shocking truth that these attacks cannot be blocked by traditional security measures: "Some of these advanced cyberattacks bypass traditional security capabilities altogether!"

The Power of AI in Cybersecurity

In a moment of genius, Songo recognizes that AI and machine learning are not pretty-to-have, but necessary tools that can augment her team’s effort. "AI and machine learning have helped auto-mate manual tasks, freeing up talented analysts to focus on higher-level strategic work" she explained.

This is one of the most exciting developments to prevent cyber attacks. Songo echoed the sentiment: "Cyberattackers are getting smarter, using AI to evade detection. We are too, with AI-powered alert systems and real-time response.

The Diversity Con

But Songo’s passion has other dimensions too. She’s dead serious about bridging the gender diversity gap in cybersecurity: "We badly need more women in this field".

"AI and machine learning have shown it’s crucial to have diversity in the [cybersecurity] space. We gotta create platforms, mentorship programs, encouragement…and start introducing young women to it during early education cycles".

Songo is the Real MVP

In concluding, Songo emphasizes the importance of dynamic innovation in the ever-changing terrain of cybersecurity: "As a seasoned cybersecurity professional, you never get tired because there are always new [challenges] presenting opportunities. It’s a never-ending thriller!"

In short, Sithembile Songo is on a mission from God to protect Eskom (and the world) from cyber attacks with her team’s cutting-edge skillset and innovative mindset.