Soteria Team – Soteria Cloud Backup News

Adidas Third Party Data Breach – Hacking

Adidas Data Breach: The Growing Cybersecurity Threat in South Africa

Adidas, the popular global sportswear brand, has confirmed a cyberattack that compromised customer data in the local SA market.

While the company has stated that no passwords or financial data were affected, the incident is causing alarm bells to ring once again about digital security and the vulnerability of major brands to cyber threats.

Cyberattack Confirmed: Adidas acts with transparency as details unfold

The South African division of Adidas acknowledged the attack in May, noting that the data breach was discovered after suspicious activity was detected on systems operated by a vendor.

Although the exact number of affected customers has not yet been disclosed, the brand is working with cybersecurity experts to assess the full impact and mitigate potential fallout.

The breach, which is still under investigation, reportedly stems from a third-party service provider and has exposed sensitive customer information such as names, email addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth. According to Adidas, the ‘good news’ was that no credit card details or financial information was stolen.

This incident adds to a growing list of high-profile data breaches affecting South African consumers although it’s worth noting that the Adidas breach wasn’t simply a one country data breach. The first reports came out of Turkey in early May, then South Korea and then South Africa.

In 2023 alone, reported cyber incidents in the country more than tripled from the previous year, jumping from 500 to over 1 700 breaches.
Companies such as JD Group and TransUnion have also been targeted, with customer records numbering in the hundreds of thousands being exposed or ransomed.

Some cybersecurity analysts believe that the Adidas breach highlights a persistent weak point in many corporate cybersecurity frameworks: third-party vendors. These partners often have access to sensitive systems but may lack the same level of defence or oversight, providing an entry point for attackers.

Cybersecurity weak links along the supply chain create vulnerabilities

As cybercrime becomes increasingly organised in the age of AI, even well-resourced companies can find themselves vulnerable if every part of the supply chain isn’t secure.

Although Adidas acted swiftly to contain the breach, it raises questions about the preparedness of global companies operating in SA where cybersecurity standards and enforcement mechanisms may vary.

With the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) now in full effect, affected organisations could face regulatory scrutiny and fines extending to millions of Rands if it is found that reasonable preventative measures were not in place.

Unfortunately, many businesses still don’t have a definitive idea about what cybersecurity measures are needed to safeguard client data.

MDR gives you peace of mind in a risky digital landscape

As data breaches like the one affecting Adidas become both more frequent and damaging in terms of finances and reputation, secure cloud storage offers your business a powerful line of defense.

Our Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service provides 24/7 threat monitoring, real-time alerting, expert-led triage, and integrated recovery through a fully managed SOC.
This service supports endpoint protection, incident investigation, automated rollback, and compliance reporting.
MSR is scalable across clients and reduces overheads by consolidating cybersecurity, data protection, and risk management into one platform with advanced threat intelligence.

Click here to learn more about MDR or contact us to see how we can work with you to tailor a data protection strategy that can help to secure your company and client information today.

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AI – Not a Sentient Being and a Growing Cybersecurity Concern

Changing your Perspective of AI

Five years ago, ChatGPT wasn’t a recognised word in our vocabulary. Today, it’s becoming so widely used that it even has its own dictionary and many people can’t imagine doing their work without it, but is it a force of good or evil?

There’s a dangerous aspect to the widespread use of AI: mistaking it for a real person and underestimating the digital security risk it could pose as well as the lack of personality behind it.

Let’s take a look at the capabilities that AI possesses and how businesses can use it without compromising their cybersecurity.

What AI can, can’t, (and shouldn’t) do in your business

Artificial Intelligence is becoming an integral part of modern productivity systems, offering tools that can mimic human-like interactions.

However, it’s crucial to remember that mimicry isn’t the same as real intelligence.

AI lacks consciousness and genuine understanding of reality. This makes it ideal as an assistant while employees do the thinking and strategising.
Tasks like summarising information, identifying information sources online, and creating generic plans and templates or basic coding tasks are some of the applications that AI does well at. However, these must all be checked by staff members to ensure that no errors have been made.

Despite its impressive verbal capabilities, it’s important to remember that AI operates based on statistical patterns derived from vast datasets, without any real comprehension of the content it processes.

The illusion of intelligence

Modern AI systems, such as large language models, generate responses by predicting the next word in a sequence, based on the data they’ve been trained on. This process doesn’t involve understanding or awareness and is a sophisticated form of pattern recognition.

The danger lies in attributing human-like qualities to AI systems. This can lead to overreliance and misplaced trust in their outputs.

Numerous instances of AI hallucinations (blatantly wrong information produced by tools like ChatGPT) have been exposed in the media.
These include lists of nonexistent books for summer reading, made-up facts about famous people and events, and even fictitious lawsuits being used in official court documents by junior lawyers who used AI to speed up their trial preparation.

In addition to these embarrassing errors, there’s growing concern that AI could be used to carry out cyberattacks.

The cybersecurity implications of AI

While AI offers benefits as a research and planning tool in various sectors, it also causes a great deal of stress in cybersecurity circles.

Cybercriminals can exploit AI to create more convincing phishing scams, automate attacks, and develop malware that adapts to evade detection.
While ChatGPT has been programmed to refuse requests like this, hackers will have little trouble fooling the app into producing text for phishing messages for example, since they resemble conventional emails in virtually every respect.

The recent trend of software developers and AI specialists being sought out by cybercriminals on the dark web raises the possibility of an “evil ChatGPT” being developed for the express purpose of committing crimes.

On the flip side, AI can be used as a defensive tool and a potential weapon against cybercriminals. With speed and precision far exceeding that of human beings, it could be the last line of defense against hackers who harness the power of artificial intelligence to carry out online attacks.

Secure your data against next generation attacks

With AI becoming a permanent part of the cybersecurity landscape, business owners will need to stay ahead of the game in order to secure their data.

Our range of comprehensive secure cloud storage solutions, including Cyber Protection, will help you keep your sensitive files encrypted in the cloud no matter what technology the hackers have at their disposal.

Click the button below to learn more.

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Why Soteria – Online cloud backup

8 Great Reasons to Get Online with Soteria Cloud

Data loss, cyberthreats, and downtime affect businesses of all sizes in every corner of the globe. Ensuring that your enterprise is protected is a top priority, and we’re here to provide the turnkey solution you need for comprehensive data security powered by Acronis.

At Soteria Cloud, we believe that every company deserves cutting edge protection and performance, regardless of its size or IT budget. Here are eight powerful reasons why getting online with us could be the best business decision you make this week.

1. Advanced Security + EDR

Cyberattacks aren’t just targeting large enterprises anymore. With Acronis advanced security and endpoint detection and response (EDR), your business stays protected from sophisticated threats in real time.

Whether you’re a startup or a mid-sized operation, proactive defense is the protection you can obtain for your sensitive data.

2. Advanced Management

Managing multiple devices, systems, and users can quickly get overwhelming. We streamline the entire process with centralised controls and real-time data visibility.

This means better performance and fewer headaches, even if your IT department is a streamlined operation run by just one person.

3. Advanced Automation

Backing up your data manually wastes your valuable time and leaves room for human error.

Our automation tools handle routine maintenance, patches, and updates so that you and your team can focus on what really matters: delighting your customers and growing your business.

4. Advanced Backup

Losing critical data can create a major crisis in your business in an instant. Our backup solutions are secure, scalable, and easy to use, especially in an emergency.

Whether it’s a single file or an entire system, your data is always protected and ready to restore.

5. Advanced Disaster Recovery

Downtime is both expensive and potentially damaging to your reputation. Our disaster recovery solutions help you bounce back fast from hardware failure, ransomware, loadshedding, or natural disasters.

For small businesses, this means surviving the incident while maintaining customer trust.

6. Advanced Email Security

Email is still the number one entry point for cyber threats. We keep your inboxes safe with smart filters, phishing detection, and encryption so your team can communicate safely in an increasingly risky online ecosystem.

7. Advanced Data Loss Protection

From internal mistakes to external attacks, data loss can strike at any time. Our DLP tools monitor, control, and secure sensitive data wherever it may be stored: on-site, in the cloud, or on mobile devices.

8. Advanced File Sync and Share

Ready to collaborate across teams, offices, or time zones?

We make secure file access and sharing easy. This means that all your data will stay in sync and accessible from anywhere, with full control over permissions and privacy.

Conclusion

Getting online with Soteria Cloud isn’t just about technology. It’s about empowering your business to operate securely and efficiently online.

If you’re ready to future-proof your operations, hit the button below to see the difference advanced cloud solutions like EDR can make.

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MTN Group Reports Ransomware Attack: Customer Data Compromised

MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecommunications provider, has experienced a significant cybersecurity breach in April. The incident, which led to unauthorised access to the personal information of customers in more than one market, is the latest in a series of cyber incidents at major companies across the country.

Despite the breach, MTN confirmed that its core infrastructure, including network, billing, and financial systems, remained secure and fully operational. Here are the full details of the breach and what businesses can learn from MTN’s response.

How the Breach Happened

Though MTN is a household name in SA, the cyberattack actually resulted in the compromise of customer data beyond our borders, with approximately 5 700 MTN Ghana customers being affected.

An unknown third party claimed responsibility for the breach and demanded a ransom for the release of the stolen data – a classic MO for cyberattacks of this kind.

At the time of publishing this update MTN had not disclosed the ransom amount, citing the ongoing investigation, and has also neither confirmed nor denied that paying the ransom is a strategy currently under consideration.

Did MTN Respond Appropriately?

MTN’s reaction in the hours and days following this attack is a good example of proactive cybersecurity response and the benefits of risk mitigation.

After discovering the breach, MTN activated its cybersecurity response protocols and altered law enforcement agencies such as the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hawks.
This is the recommended course of action for any business dealing with a major cyber incident.
The company also notified relevant authorities in affected countries and is in the process of informing impacted customers, adhering to local legal and regulatory requirements. As above, this is the approach favoured by cybersecurity experts: placing customer privacy and data first.

MTN joins a long list of prominent cybersecurity victims across the country

This incident is not the first of its kind, nor will it be the last, but it once again highlights the growing threat of ransomware attacks in the telecommunications sector.

Earlier in 2025, Cell C, confirmed a data breach linked to a ransomware attack by the RansomHouse group. Unlike the anonymous MTN incident, this attack was carried out by a notorious cybercrime network with the intention of adding Cell C to their list of high profile victims.

The ripple effects of cyberattacks have againbextended beyond telecoms to other essential services, including the travel industry. In May, South African Airways (SAA) suffered a major cyber incident that disrupted access to its website, mobile app, and key operational systems. The breach, which began over a weekend, significantly impacted customer services and internal processes, highlighting the broad-reaching consequences of digital vulnerabilities across sectors.

Whether hackers strike stealthily or make a show of their ability to penetrate digital defences, the increasing frequency of attacks like these underscores the need for robust cybersecurity measures across the industry and the economy as a whole.

Secure your company data with us

While MTN’s swift response ensured the protection of its core systems, the breach of customer data raises concerns about data privacy and the evolving cyber threats facing telecom and other industry operators.

This incident serves as a reminder for companies to continuously assess and strengthen their cybersecurity frameworks to safeguard against future attacks.

To protect your business and clients’ critical data you need an integrated approach to cyber protection. Soteria Cloud offers an advanced backup package with secure managed cloud backup paired with Acronis Cyber Protect for the ultimate in data protection.

To learn more about our packages and how they can keep your files safe and encrypted in the cloud, click the button below.

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Quishing – Bypassing Phishing Security Measures

The Growing Threat of QR Code Phishing

QR codes have become an everyday feature of transactions, providing one click access to websites, product pages, and social media accounts. But with this convenience, a new cybersecurity threat has emerged: quishing, or QR code phishing.

This criminal technique involves hackers embedding malicious URLs in QR codes to trick users into compromising their personal or company data.

Here’s a look at the ins and outs of quishing and how to use QRs safely.

Cracking the code: how hackers create fraudulent QRs

QR codes are all over the marketplace, from restaurant menus to payment systems, and even multi-factor authentication. However, their widespread use has also made them an appealing tool for attackers.

Unlike traditional phishing emails, quishing bypasses many email filters and firewalls because the malicious link is hidden within an image rather than plaintext. This makes it harder for legacy software to detect and block.

A typical quishing attack usually involves a scammer placing a fake QR code sticker over a legitimate one. You may even find one on a parking meter, ATM, or restaurant table.
When scanned, the QR code directs the victim to a fake website that looks legitimate, prompting them to log in, make a payment, or enter sensitive information.
In the worst case scenario, the QR code might trigger the download of malware that compromises a user’s entire device.

Quishing is especially dangerous because of the high level of trust that users have when scanning a QR code. Many of us don’t double check QR codes the way we do suspicious links or attachments, opening the door to opportunistic attacks.

This complacency, combined with a lack of visual cues about where the QR code leads, increases the risk of falling for these scams which are becoming more prevalent across SA.

How to use QRs safely and avoid quishing

As cybersecurity experts, we recommend several best practices to reduce the chances of a quishing incident:

Know Your QR. Always verify the source of a QR code before scanning it.
Educate Employees. Raise awareness about the risks associated with scanning unknown QR codes, especially those received via email.
Use Advanced Email Filtering: Email security solutions that can detect and block emails containing malicious QR codes are essential today.
Make Secure QR Code Scanners Mandatory: Direct the use of QR code scanners in your office that can preview URLs before opening them, helping to identify potentially malicious links.

Stay ahead of quishing attacks with secure cloud storage

As technology evolves, so do the methods used by cybercriminals. To stay a step ahead of them, businesses should ensure that their data is fully backed up and encrypted, and that’s where our cloud storage packages come in.

Click the button below to explore our range of data protection solutions for businesses of any size.

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Microsoft Email Security – Online Backup

Microsoft doubles down on email security

Email continues to play a central role in South African business communication, with 24% of local consumers still preferring emails over call centres and chat support in 2024. Unfortunately, that also makes it a primary target for cybercriminals.

In response to rising cyberthreats and phishing risks, and hot on the heels of recent changes by Google and Yahoo, Microsoft is stepping up its security game. The company has announced major enhancements to its email authentication requirements for large volume email senders, signalling a broader industry shift toward more secure, verified communication across the board.

Here’s a look at the upgrades to Microsoft email delivery and what they mean for your business communications.

SPF, DKIM and DMARC Explained

The core of Microsoft’s update comprises three essential protocols: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. While they aren’t new technologies, Microsoft’s reliance on them reinforces just how vital they’ve become. But what do they mean?

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) specifies which servers are allowed to send mail on behalf of your domain.
DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) adds a cryptographic signature to each email to verify it hasn’t been tampered with when it arrives.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) builds on SPF and DKIM, giving domain owners visibility and control over unauthenticated messages.

Together, these protocols dramatically reduce the risk of spoofing and phishing: two of the most common email-based threats businesses face today.

Email Risk Reality Check

Protocols won’t help if you’re still sharing your email address

Microsoft’s focus on external protections is great news for business email users, but there’s another vulnerability that often flies under the radar: shared email accounts.

If your staff still share your mail accounts, they’re not alone. The practice is still surprisingly common in many small and mid-sized businesses, and it’s a major security weak spot.

When multiple users access a single account, it often leads to simple, widely shared passwords which are an open invitation to hackers.
With shared accounts, there’s no clear accountability. If something goes wrong, including compromised data and sensitive file leaks, tracking the source becomes difficult.
Since shared accounts can be used by several people across devices and locations, they’re more susceptible to phishing attempts and misuse.

Discontinuing shared accounts should be priority number one for every business.

The next step is to assign individual accounts with strong passwords and multifactor authentication. These simple changes can make a big difference when it comes to preventing cyber incidents.

For businesses looking to take their security to the next level, cloud-based solutions are an ideal final step. Not only do they support modern authentication protocols, but they also offer robust, scalable storage that keeps your data safe and accessible both in the office and remotely.

Ready to secure your emails and files?

We’re ready with a one click solution

Email security is no longer optional. With Microsoft leading the charge, now’s the time to review your setup, tighten up internal practices, and upgrade to smarter tools like Acronis-powered Total Data Protection to secure your critical data, be it on-premises, in the cloud or a hybrid environment.

Click the button below to explore our cloud storage packages and start building a safer, more efficient digital workspace today.

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Data Ownership – Cloud Backup

Who Really Owns Your Personal Data?

Cyberattacks and data leaks make headlines almost weekly, leaving internet users in South Africa and around the world concerned that their personal information may be at risk.

Investing in high-end digital security, including secure cloud storage, is a great way to keep your information safe.

But have you ever considered the possibility that what you think is your data might not legally belong to you at all?

South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) offers wide-ranging protections for privacy and sensitive data. However, one thing it does not do clearly is define ownership of personal data.

Legal expert Professor Donrich Thaldar from the University of KwaZulu-Natal recently published an extensive research paper on this issue, with a simplified version appearing in media reports.

According to Thaldar, POPIA regulations (which are situated at the intersection of privacy and property law) present a complex web of rights and obligations.

This legal obstacle course must be navigated by both the originators of sensitive information and those who think they own it, in order to establish any rightful claim to the data in the first place.

The Legal Ambiguity Around Data Ownership

The word ownership is usually associated with some kind of property, be it a business, a home, a vehicle, or financial assets like cash and investments.

For tangible assets like these, property law lays out the rules for possession, trading, and consequences for unlawful acquisition through theft or fraud. But when it comes to data, the legal waters become murkier. What kind of asset is it, exactly, who does it belong to, and who can claim it?

Thaldar’s research explores the dual nature of data, as both a type of information and a form of property that can be owned, sold, or stolen.

The study points out that POPIA doesn’t provide an explicit definition of data ownership, a fact that further complicates matters.

While POPIA is extremely detailed when it comes to data protection, distribution, and the penalties for mishandling personal information, it remains vague on the issue of who actually owns that data.
According to Thaldar, data in its raw form-as information – likely cannot be owned by any one person, just as no one can claim ownership of the entire ocean.
However, a specific instance of data like a file created by an individual or organisation can be viewed as a unique item of possession. This is similar to someone owning a single bottle of water, rather than the ocean itself.

The Impact on Your Data Security and Bottom Line

The ambiguity around data ownership has real implications for organisations that generate data containing client information.

Does the data belong to the company, since it created the file? Or does the client have a claim to it, because the file contains their personal information?

While POPIA clearly states that individuals have a right to data privacy and that companies are obligated to take reasonable steps to secure this data, ownership of the actual file or dataset may still reside with the company that created it.

As with many newer laws, a clear legal definition of data ownership under POPIA may only emerge once the matter is brought before a higher court.
In the meantime, both companies and individuals need to remain vigilant and take steps to ensure that sensitive data doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.

Find The Perfect Solution For Your Business Data

With cybersecurity incidents on the rise and hefty fines or even jail time associated with violations of POPIA, every South African business should make the protection of its sensitive files a top priority.

Our range of secure cloud storage solutions, including Total Data Protection, can help your business stay safe and compliant. Click the button below to learn more.

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Reliable Cloud Backup – Soteria Cloud

Ensuring Data Integrity with Reliable Cloud Backup Solutions

What’s the biggest threat to company data? Most internet users would probably say hackers or cybercriminals.

While there’s no denying that digital theft and fraud pose serious risks, a surprising number of data breaches are frequently caused by something far more mundane: misconfigurations and simple human error.

As technology evolves, with new applications and protocols introduced every year, the risk of incorrect settings creating vulnerabilities continues to rise.

Fortunately, a robust and secure cloud backup solution can help protect your data – even if your system settings aren’t flawless. Let’s explore the dangers posed by internal vulnerabilities and how a secure cloud storage service can reduce your risk.

How Internal Vulnerabilities Threaten Data Integrity

If your business data isn’t managed according to best practices, you’re effectively making life easier for cybercriminals. There are three common issues businesses need to be aware of:

1. Human Error

Regardless of how sophisticated your cybersecurity software is, human error remains one of the leading causes of data breaches, particularly in an era where social engineering and other attack types are on the rise.

Cybercriminals often trick employees into revealing sensitive information or login credentials. But even without malicious intent, simple misconfigurations can create gaps in your system’s defences, exposing your business to attack without anyone realising it.

2. Malicious Insiders

In more serious cases, employees may intentionally leak sensitive information or pass credentials to bad actors with intent to harm the company.

This type of threat intersects both cybersecurity and HR policies and can result in legal disputes or even criminal charges. However, by the time these cases are discovered, the damage to your business may already be significant.

3. System Failures

Not all data loss is the result of human behaviour. System failures, software bugs, hardware issues, and configuration errors can all corrupt or delete critical data.

This risk is further heightened by load-shedding, which increases the chances of sudden failures unless a secure, offsite backup system is in place.

4. Compliance Risks

With the introduction of the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act, all businesses that handle client data face increased regulatory pressure.

The law is designed to protect consumers’ privacy, which is a positive step—but it also means that businesses must be more diligent than ever in how they manage and store sensitive information.

Non-compliance can lead to heavy fines or even imprisonment, so it’s vital for managers and business owners to ensure they remain compliant.

The Case for Cloud Backup

Given the risks outlined above, it’s clear that operating without a secure data protection strategy is an unnecessary gamble. Thankfully, cloud backup solutions offer an affordable and effective way to minimise your exposure.

What to Look for in a Cloud Storage Package

1. Automated Backups & Versioning

Regular backups reduce the risk of data loss due to human error. Versioning enables you to recover previous copies of your files in the event of accidental or malicious changes.

2. Encryption & Access Controls

Data should be encrypted both in transit and at rest to prevent unauthorised access. Strong access control policies ensure only authorised users can view, edit, or delete backups.

3. Redundancy & Geo-Distributed Storage

Your data should be stored in multiple, geographically distributed locations. This ensures availability even if one server goes offline and protects against local disruptions, cyberattacks, or load-shedding outages.

You’ll find all of these features and more in our range of secure cloud backup solutions designed for businesses and budgets of all sizes.

The Tangible Benefits of Secure Cloud Storage

Choosing one of our trusted cloud backup packages, especially Total Data Protection, offers real peace of mind, with key benefits including:

Ransomware Protection: Backups enable fast file recovery, even after a cyberattack.
Regulatory Compliance: Stay aligned with POPIA, GDPR, and ISO data protection standards.
Business Continuity: Minimise downtime with rapid data restoration in the event of a loss.
Insider Threat Prevention: Recover deleted files and protect against malicious insider actions.

To find out more about our secure cloud storage solutions and ensure your business is protected, click below.

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Cloud Misconfiguration Pitfalls | Data Breaches

Faulty Cloud Misconfiguration and Other Technical Errors

As the number of cyberattacks affecting South African businesses continues to soar, many IT specialists are coming to the realisation that it’s not only cybercriminals, but also faulty configurations and other technical errors that are to blame for data loss incidents.

It’s not uncommon for these technical errors to come to the fore in the aftermath of a cyberattack when the steps leading up to the incident are analysed. Unfortunately, by then it’s often too late.

Instead, we advocate a proactive approach, whereby companies study the most common configurations that have resulted in data loss at other businesses, and close as many loopholes as possible to avoid a similar fate.

In this article, we highlight some of the most common configuration mistakes that companies make, and how to correct them and pair these efforts with secure cloud storage before an incident occurs.

Unrestricted Ports and Services

Open ports are an open-door invitation for criminals to help themselves to your valuable data. Fortunately, resolving this issue is usually quite simple and provides a huge security boost without a large time or financial investment.

Leaving unnecessary ports open can provide attackers with entry points into cloud environments.
Misconfigurations that result in unrestricted access to services can be exploited, leading to unauthorised data access or system compromise.

Excessive Permissions

Setting appropriate permission levels for team members can help prevent your data from falling into the wrong hands—even within the organisation.

Multi-factor authentication ensures that only authorised users are able to access your network.
Taking it a step further by assigning data and knowledge permissions only to those whose title and rank justify it is equally important.

Lack of Encryption

Failing to encrypt data at rest and in transit can expose it to interception and unauthorised access. Implementing robust encryption protocols is essential to protect data integrity and confidentiality.

Despite the rise in cyberattacks, a surprisingly large number of companies still do not have proper encryption protocols in place.
This is especially dangerous for data that resides on file systems and user devices but has not yet been backed up in the cloud.

Migrating to a cloud-based storage solution that places virtually all newly created files in the cloud—using the latest data encryption technology—can help close security gaps and ensure that the most recent versions of important files are safe and accessible in the event of a cyberattack.

Consequences of Cloud Misconfigurations

The fallout from cloud misconfigurations can be severe, leading to financial, reputational, and legal damage to your business. Several high-profile cyberattacks have cost businesses millions in recent years.

On the global stage, American telecommunications giant AT&T agreed to pay $13 million to settle an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) concerning a data breach that occurred due to a cloud vendor’s misconfiguration.

Closer to home, a report released in late 2024 indicates that companies in South Africa lost in excess of R350 million in the biggest data breaches of recent years. With the likes of

With Experian, Pam Golding estate agency, and several government agencies all having fallen prey to cybercriminals – and the Information Regulator warning that basic cyber safety measures, including security configurations, have not been taken in many cases—the potential risk of misconfigurations can’t be overstated.

The Importance of Regular Security Audits

Conducting regular security audits is vital to identify and rectify misconfigurations before they can be exploited. These audits should include:

Configuration Reviews: Frequently assessing cloud configurations to ensure compliance with security best practices, and making this part of company policy, can help detect weaknesses before they escalate.
Access Controls Evaluation: It’s essential to verify that access permissions are appropriately assigned, in line with “least privilege” allocations.
Vulnerability Scanning: Automated tools that detect vulnerabilities and misconfigurations within the cloud environment can save time and significantly reduce risk.
Incident Response Planning: A cybercrime response plan will help ensure that swift action can be taken in the event of a data compromise incident.
Secure Cloud Storage: Fully encrypted storage offers the ability to restore compromised data, even in a worst-case scenario.

Add an Essential Layer of Protection to Your Data with Secure Cloud Storage

Tightening your security configuration practices to make your data harder to access is a vital online safety measure — but it must be complemented by secure cloud storage to be truly effective.

Our range of data defence products for businesses of all sizes will help secure your data at a time when hackers are ramping up their criminal actions. Secure your data with us today.

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Estate Agency Data Breach – Cloud Backup Solutions

A Credit Bureau, an Estate Agency, and a Web of Cybercrime Intrigue

One of the country’s most prestigious real estate companies obtaining leaked customer information from the Experian data breach reads like a work of fiction. Yet this bizarre possibility is playing out in the media right now, with all parties involved scrambling to limit the damage to their reputations.

Real Estate Agency Pam Golding has been associated with luxury real estate in South Africa for decades, with the company successfully crafting a brand centred around exclusivity and the highest standards.

However, a recent data incident concerning the company’s contact database is shining an uncomfortable spotlight on this well-known estate agent’s network and its potentially bizarre connection to last year’s Experian data leak.

Did property giant Pam Golding obtain information from a data leak?

One of SA’s best known companies’ handling of sensitive information was publicly brought into question recently when a cybersecurity researcher noticed a strange pattern of data ownership regarding their own email address.

The researcher, who is extremely careful when it comes to online privacy, used a catch-all email address with various aliases when entering their information online – a practice that’s worth emulating in your own personal and business dealings.

So far, there’s nothing surprising in the story – until you find out what happened next: the individual discovered that their email address had been compromised after Pam Golding revealed that a large chunk of its database had been subject to unauthorised access earlier this year, apparently due to stolen credentials.

The perplexing aspect of this incident was that the individual had never provided Pam Golding with the alias email address they usually use online.
On further inspection, they discovered that the realtor had also sent them a direct marketing email several months prior, once again to the same address that had never been voluntarily provided. However, the same address had been part of the Experian data breach that affected millions of customers across the country.

The awkward question that arises from all of this is: how did Pam Golding come to possess this email address, and how many other people’s personal information does the company currently hold without their knowledge?

As cybersecurity experts, we can think of two possible explanations for what happened:

Pam Golding somehow obtained leaked personal information from the Experian data breach last year, or
Experian provided them with this information through official – if not legitimate – means.

As a reputable and large business, which is very much a household name across South Africa and even in neighbouring markets like Mauritius, it’s hard to imagine Pam Golding skimming the dark net for opportunities to buy leaked Experian data.

The far more likely explanation is that Experian has been sharing the personal details of credit customers from its database with third parties for a fee. As such, it’s more plausible that Experian, and not Pam Golding, has serious questions to answer regarding the protection of personal data privacy.

Are credit bureaus doing a side trade in confidential client information?

The allegation that credit bureaus sometimes sell confidential information to other businesses may be disturbing but it’s not new. Dominic White, one of the country’s foremost cybersecurity experts, has been speculating for years that this is the case.

Without accusing either organisation of wrongdoing, it’s not a far stretch to assume that something of this nature might have happened in a case like this.

Pam Golding declines to comment, citing POPI regulations

The media has reacted with an understandable measure of alarm in the wake of the Pam Golding and Experian accusations, and to date the real estate group has been tight-lipped about the details of the incident. It must be mentioned however, that Pam Golding took immediate steps to contain the breach, acting swiftly to secure their systems and removing all unauthorised access.

In an ironic twist, Pam Golding maintains that they’re unable to comment on any aspect of their clients’ data in order to remain in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act.

This, despite the fact that obtaining sensitive customer information from a third party without the owner’s permission could likely constitute a breach of the Act itself.

Whatever the outcome of this embarrassing incident may be, the lesson for all businesses is clear: consumers are no longer willing to tolerate the mishandling of their personal information, and when companies are suspected of acting irregularly, the incident is likely to become highly publicised and do damage to their reputation.

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