In late June 2024, South Africa’s National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) suffered a severe data breach due to a ransomware attack, marking one of the most significant cyber incidents in the country’s public health sector.
The attack compromised approximately 1.2 terabytes of data, including sensitive third-party, client, and patient information.
This breach led to considerable disruptions, including delays in processing blood tests and blocked access to vital systems and databases across public health facilities.
“The nature of this breach is not unprecedented in South Africa,” said Ferdinand Steenkamp, Co-Founder of Tregter.
“Many public and private institutions are increasingly facing cyber attacks. Industry leaders like Mteto Nyati have long warned of the growing risk, particularly since the outbreak of Covid-19. The country is alarmingly vulnerable.”
The recent breach highlights a critical issue: inadequate security infrastructure and a lack of cybersecurity awareness training within organizations.
Steenkamp notes that such breaches are fueling growing anxiety among businesses.
“This anxiety presents a dilemma for companies, as their operations often rely on maintaining extensive databases of customer information. This situation is rapidly becoming an existential threat to most organizations today,” he added.
Industries that are particularly vulnerable to these security challenges include health and retail services, both of which handle substantial volumes of customer data.
The breach underscores the pressing need for robust data protection measures to safeguard sensitive information.
As consumers increasingly expect their data to be handled with the utmost care, a new class of software systems known as Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) has emerged to address these concerns.
“Fortunately, CDPs leverage the power and flexibility of the cloud to meet the large-scale storage, analytical processing, and security requirements of customer data,” Steenkamp explained
A CDP is a customer data management software solution that centralises data from various sources into a single database.
This integration allows for more effective management and security of consumer data.
“Centralising data in one location may seem risky, but it actually enhances governance and security. When data is dispersed across multiple databases, managing access policies becomes complex and prone to oversight. CDPs streamline this process by offering a unified point of defence for customer data,” Steenkamp noted.
Jean de Smidt, Senior Cloud Security Consultant at Capgemini, adds, “In South Africa, CDPs can provide companies with better control over their data landscape. The integrated nature of CDPs simplifies compliance with personal data legislation and reduces the risk of non-compliance or mismanagement.”
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