Cyber threat to SA security

Computer hackers have launched 6000 attempted cyber attacks against critical South Africa infrastructure, internet service providers and businesses.

All occurred in October. Revealed on the sidelines of the State Security Cyber-security conference in Pretoria last week, the attacks were detected a month into the launch of government’s cyber security early warning system.

Of the 6000 incidents, 2000 were apparently against vital infrastructure organisations. Should hackers breach these organisations’ computer servers, such as those of transport, energy or communications, they could cripple the country.

One of the biggest threats detected last month was an attempt by hackers to bring down all of South Africa’s internet service providers, resulting in a communications crash.

Cyber-security experts say South Africa ranks third in the world, next to Russia and China, in terms of the number of cybercrime victims.

The National Cyber Security Hub at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is manned by five cyber analysts which means that during the past month each anaylst dealt with 1200 incidents.

Hub head Jabu Radebe – Telecommunications and Postal Services Department’s information communication technologies chief director – said: “In October 6 000 ‘incidents’, 2000 of them serious threats, were detected.”

Radebe said over 50% of the incidents related to phishing, where criminals steal people’s identity and banking information.

Asked if South Africa could defend itself against simultaneous cyber attacks, Radebe said policies allowed it to.

“If there was such an attack we could bring the necessary ‘brains’ together. But, for us to launch quick coordinated responses, the current policies talk about developing a specific critical information infrastructure policy.”

Professor Basie von Solms, Johannesburg University’s centre for cyber security director, cast doubt on South Africa’s preparedness against a major cyber attack.

He said the lack of laws compelling people to report such attacks made it impossible to say how secure the country was.

“We lose R5-billion to cybercrime. Cyber attacks are not just about stealing money. Cyber espionage is huge here, especially the theft of intellectual property and data on tenders and strategic infrastructure.”

He said the country’s rapidly expanding communication networks, over which there were no proper security controls, made South Africa ideal for hackers.

Craig Rosewarne of WolfPack cyber-security firm said the damage had been done.

“In 2013 banks reported 10000 phishing attempts. The World Economic Forum in their latest report rated cyber-security as one of the world’s top five global threats, along with infrastructure protection which cyber-security is directly linked to. We cannot plead ignorance on cyber-security threats.

“We knew they were coming, yet we are way behind many African countries in fighting them.”