Legacy cybersecurity systems \u2013 once recognized as the cornerstone of business infrastructure \u2013 are putting African companies at risk of data breaches and cyberattacks, which could end up costing more than just money. These on-premises solutions have been identified as major threat to businesses, due to outdated tech, missing modern security features, and integration challenges \u2013 an issue that only grows worse as hardware gets older. In response, cybersecurity experts recommend that businesses switch over to cloud-based solutions, which offer continuous, automated updates for up to date protection.<\/p>\n
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\u201cAfrica\u2019s rapidly expanding economy has made it a target for cybercriminals looking to exploit weak points in the digital infrastructure of local businesses. Cyber threats are also evolving and adapting faster than ever \u2013 which means that businesses need to be able to upgrade their cybersecurity in real-time, to ensure their data and finances remain protected against the latest threats,\u201d says Tony Anscombe, Chief Security Evangelist at ESET, a leading international cybersecurity company with a presence across the continent.<\/p>\n
As technology progresses, support for older systems, including patches and updates, dwindles. This means that legacy systems may not be able to accommodate modern technologies and new security best practices \u2013 including multi-factor authentication and encryptions. As a result, vulnerabilities in older software and hardware remain unaddressed, leaving gaps in the defense framework and making them prime targets for cyberattacks. This can also lead to non-compliance, resulting in legal issues and hefty fines.<\/p>\n
Africa\u2019s rapidly expanding economy has made it a target for cybercriminals looking to exploit weak points in the digital infrastructure of local businesses<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cIf a data breach occurs, it will impact operational continuity and damage the brand\u2019s reputation far more than the downtime needed to upgrade their systems. Recognizing that outdated solutions could cost them more in the long run, businesses are switching over to cloud-based solutions,\u201d says Anscombe.<\/p>\n
Cloud-based cybersecurity systems host digital defences outside of a business\u2019s internal network, providing a \u2018protective layer\u2019 that blocks threats before they can reach critical infrastructure. By nature of being hosted on the cloud, these digital solutions offer greater cost flexibility and opportunity to scale (up or down), compared to hardware-bound legacy systems \u2013 both of which are key considerations when it comes to Africa\u2019s thriving start-up ecosystem.<\/p>\n
These solutions also make use of the latest technologies \u2013 for example, leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to continuously monitor digital infrastructure. This means they can detect and respond to cyber threats, including zero-day attacks (previously unknown vulnerabilities), much earlier than conventional methods. Cloud-based solutions also learn and share information about emerging threats detected in other regions, integrating the information in real time and adjusting detection models so they are always prepared.<\/p>\n
A further element of flexibility offered by cloud-based solutions is having more options to choose from; \u201cSince cloud-based operations can be deployed and serviced from anywhere, businesses can look beyond their immediate physical borders when it comes to choosing a provider. This means being able to select a provider based on best-fit, instead of closest-to-the-office,\u201d says Anscombe.<\/p>\n
The demand for cloud computing services in Africa is growing between 25% and 30% annually, according to data firm Xalam Analytics. This is based on an understanding that cloud-based solutions enable African businesses to compete globally, without the financial strain of upfront investment and ongoing maintenance of expensive IT infrastructure. Applying the same school of thought to cybersecurity is the first step in building a resilient, digitally secure business in an age of ever-developing cybercrime.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Legacy cybersecurity systems \u2013 once recognized as the cornerstone of business infrastructure \u2013 are putting African companies at risk of data breaches and cyberattacks, which could end up costing more than just money. These on-premises solutions have been identified as major threat to businesses, due to outdated tech, missing modern security features, and integration challenges […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27587,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27596"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27596\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27587"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}