By Bryan Hamman, regional director for Africa at NETSCOUT Just two weeks after a major global IT failure rendered millions of computer systems inaccessible, another ten-hour outage, this time as the result of a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, recently affected users of the same global organisation across multiple regions. Once again, this incident impacted businesses within many sectors, including retail, financial services and utilities, amongst others. Earlier in July, Africa felt the repercussions of the initial outage, albeit to a lesser degree than in the UK, Europe and the USA. Air travel was disrupted with the cancellation and…
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Sophos has released a new dark web report, “Turning the Screws: The Pressure Tactics of Ransomware Gangs,” which details how cybercriminals are weaponizing stolen data to increase pressure on targets who refuse to pay. This includes sharing the contact details or doxing the family members of targeted CEOs and business owners, as well as threatening to report any information about illegal business activities uncovered in stolen data to the authorities. In the report, Sophos X-Ops shares posts found on the dark web that show how ransomware gangs refer to their targets as “irresponsible and negligent,” and in some cases, encourage…
Anthony Hutia, Head of Mobile Experience, Samsung Electronics East Africa Cybersecurity is a significant and growing threat in today’s digital world. According to a report by Cybersecurity Ventures, global cybercrime costs are expected to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015. This alarming growth highlights the increasing sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks. These statistics underscore the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data and maintain trust in digital systems. Cyber security threats come in multiple forms such as malware or phishing attacks, but they are often invisible to the victim until it’s…
Epson has announced that it has achieved a major sustainability milestone by switching to 100% renewable electricity for all its 14 owned sites in Japan in 2021. This accomplishment marks a significant step in Epson’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and sets a benchmark for the manufacturing sector worldwide. The manufacturing sector, accounts for around a third of the world’s energy consumption and should play a crucial role in global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Epson has demonstrated that it is possible to transition to 100% renewable electricity, even in energy-intensive industries. By leveraging local renewable resources and innovative strategies,…
Today, iSchoolAfrica commemorates 15 years of driving educational change across South Africa. Since its inception, iSchoolAfrica has leveraged the world’s best technology and educational practices to reduce inequalities, enhance opportunities for exceptional employment, and stimulate economic growth. iSchoolAfrica’s 15 years of success and sustainability stem from an unwavering commitment to making quality technology affordable and accessible. A key element of the programme is the rotation of mobile iPad labs from classroom to classroom – ensuring accessibility, security, longevity, usability, and durability. The technology solution has a remarkable 5% failure rate, which demonstrates the reliability and durability of their technology. With…
Mansa has announced the launch of its first pool on Base. This marks a significant milestone in Mansa’s mission to democratise access to financing for businesses in Africa. Base is a secure, low-cost Ethereum-equivalent L2 blockchain built on the OP Stack by Coinbase, enabling Mansa to offer more efficient and accessible financial services to its clients. Mansa is currently live with two innovative pools centred around remittance and stablecoin liquidity provision, helping African businesses access cheaper capital. Mansa’s groundbreaking approach allows venture-backed businesses to use a wide range of assets as collateral, significantly expanding the pool of potential borrowers. As institutional…
Cassava Technologies (Cassava) has announced that its AI activities will now operate as a separate business unit, Cassava AI. Since the advent of Generative AI, Cassava has forged strategic partnerships with industry giants such as Microsoft, Google, AWS, Anthropic, Oracle, Atlas AI, Cerebras and Palo Alto Networks. These partnerships enable it to offer superior systems integration and support to enterprise customers across strategic international markets. Cassava already provides services such as Data Centres, Cloud, Cyber Security, Fibre Connectivity, and Renewable Energy to large multinational and local companies. The organisation has already trained and deployed more than 200 people of its…
By Frikkie Jonker, director of broadcast cybersecurity and anti-piracy at Irdeto, a partner of Multichoice Africa. Content piracy is acknowledged as having enormously negative social impacts. It is a type of global organised crime that undermines the creative sector. However, what is not often discussed is what drives content piracy. What leads people to steal content? Unfortunately, the African continent is something of a global dumping ground for inferior products. This is practised in the area of legitimate trade, but also in the criminal underworld. Outdated regulations, inefficient law enforcement, bribery and corruption all play a role in this. Despite…
Kenya Airways has made network adjustments to five key African destinations to optimize operations during the peak season. “In light of the current market landscape and as part of our Business Continuity Plan, we have made the strategic decision to make adjustments on its route networks in order to ensure smoother and more efficient operations,” said Mr Martin Gitonga, KQ’s Head of Network Planning and Alliances. The following are the network adjustments: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Effective 1st July 2024, Kenya Airways has been operating daily flights on the midday-time window, by adding flights on Wednesdays and Fridays. Johannesburg, South Africa Effective 1st August…
By Nixon Shigoli Climate change has resulted in more frequent and unpredictable weather patterns, leading to increased risks such as floods and droughts. Insurers are increasingly shifting their focus from solely managing individual catastrophic events to understanding and addressing the complex interactions between global climate patterns and human systems. The insurance sector plays a critical role in supporting sustainable economic development and advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by providing financial protection against climate risks and promoting resilience in communities. Recently, torrential rains swept through the country, leading to the destruction of thousands of homes. Many families experienced devastating losses as…