SASSA Grant Fraud – Cyber Hacking

R175 Million Grant Fraud Exposed at SASSA as Threats Continue

More than 26 million South Africans rely on some form of social grant to cover their basic expenses, and with the recent increases in the cost of living, this financial lifeline from the state has become a matter of survival for many families.

Unfortunately, cybercriminals may be planning to target the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), which has recently been shown to have significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

In this article, we take a look at the recent R175 million cyber fraud incident reported by the agency, in light of media reports suggesting its online application system may be an open invitation for fraudsters.

Here’s what every citizen needs to know with yet another government department buckling under the pressure of the country’s growing cybercrime wave.

R175 Million Stolen in Grant Fraud

The NaughtySecGroup has reared its ugly head again, claiming responsibility for stealing R175 million from social security grants by allegedly opening a staggering 100 000 fraudulent bank accounts across the country.

The hacking group, which made headlines last year by nearly stealing TransUnion’s entire data set for South African clients, says the recent move was in retaliation for not receiving the $60 million (close to R1 billion) ransom they demanded.

If the hackers are to be believed, the safety of South Africans’ financial information and the security protocols used by banks for account opening procedures are now in question. SASSA has revealed very little information in the wake of these claims, failing to reassure the public that the situation is under control.

Researchers Spotlight SASSA’s Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

As the social welfare agency reels from its recent brush with fraudsters, a recent article reveals that the agency may be extremely vulnerable to follow-up attacks by cybercriminals.

Two students from Stellenbosch University conducted independent research into the agency’s vulnerability status by using a random sample of ID numbers to test the agency’s online application security. The results are alarming, to say the least.

When testing the system with ID numbers issued to people born in 2005 – representing a relatively young cohort of citizens – the researchers found that 91% percent of these numbers were associated with grant applications.
Given the young age and presumed good health of the applicants, it seems highly implausible that they would all be genuine grant applicants.
The researchers also applied for grants through the system at a rate of 700 per minute, an action that should have triggered a security alert and prevented further applications. However, the application process continued without interruption.

In conjunction with the claim of the R175 million fraud, these findings cast serious doubt on the security protocols in place at government departments, as well as in the financial sector.

Make Secure Cloud Storage Your First Line of Defence

At a time when the institutions we typically trust to protect our personal information – such as the banks or government – are under fire for failing to prevent cyberattacks, businesses and individuals should be thinking about beefing up their data protection.

Secure cloud backup is a proven method of keeping your personal, business, and financial information out of the hands of hackers.

To raise your security level, we invite you to browse our range of secure cloud storage packages and total data protection solutions. Powered by Acronis, for businesses and households of any size, you can trust Soteria Cloud to protect your most valuable asset – your data.

Need cloud backup for business?

Streamlining your Backup | Real-time Cloud backup

Streamlining Your Backup Process – How Soteria Offers One Solution for All Your Backup Needs

Every year, South African businesses lose millions of Rand to cybercriminals, and with the incidence of ransomware attacks and hacking incidents still rising it’s only a matter of time until your business finds itself in their crosshairs.

Unless, of course, you take proactive steps like automated backups.

Keeping a recent copy of your important files can make the difference between total disaster and a chance of recovery in the wake of a cyberattack.
Manually backing up your files is not only time-consuming but also impractical for most business owners. That’s why automated backups are the best option for enterprises of all sizes.

Backups: an essential and overlooked aspect of data security

With all the important things that go on in your business every day, backing up files may not be your top priority.

Companies can go years without backing up their data correctly and not be any worse off for it. Until the day when a cyberattack takes place and owners and management start scrambling to access reliable copies of their important data.

The financial cost to your business in the wake of a cyberattack can be significant, but the long term reputational damage that it can cause could be worse.

Once clients come to learn that their data has been leaked, they may question your business’s commitment to privacy protection- even if you took reasonable measures to avoid the cyberattack. Restoring your data from a recent backup can help you recover operationally and give your customers confidence in your IT security system.

No matter how you look at it, backing up important files is essential. Fortunately, you can save time and enjoy peace of mind by streamlining and automating this process with Soteria.

Discover our simple backup solution for businesses and households

Soteria’s range of secure storage solutions featuring automatic back up is the perfect way to keep your files safe without having to focus on the nitty-gritty of IT security all day.

With Soteria cyber files cloud you can share and manage content with all colleagues and personnel, store any content which can then be synced with all your devices giving you access anytime and anywhere.

To find out more about our products like CloudSync and get started with a package that suits your needs, visit our website today.

Soteria’s Flexible Options for Cloud Backup | Real-Time Cloud Backup

How to schedule your backups with ease

Backing up your important data couldn’t be more essential at a time when cybercriminals are unleashing increasingly sophisticated attacks on businesses across the country.

Cyber attacks on SA’s government departments have been particularly malicious in recent months with the Companies and Intellectual property Commission (CIPC) the latest victim of a security compromise, likely a result of under investment in the right security systems.

But for many business owners, the backup process remains a mystery, especially when it comes to scheduling and execution.

To help you keep your company’s data safe in the cloud, we’d like to cover the flexible options for cloud backup and highlight why scheduling correctly will help you manage your data effectively without using up too much storage.

Backups are a lifesaver when cybercriminals strike

If you’ve been following the news recently, you may be worried that a cyberattack could compromise your access to company data – and you’d be right to worry. Cyberattacks continued to plague South Africa in 2023 and criminals are only getting smarter; 28% of attacks against smart devices in Africa originated in SA last year according to Kaspersky.

One of the tactics that cybercriminals use to extort their victims is the threat of permanently deleting or corrupting files that the company needs in order to function.
An explanation for why companies agree to pay the ransom could be because the most recent backup they have is too old and they genuinely can’t do without the files that are being held hostage.

But all of this can be avoided with regular backups.

Best flexible options for cloud backup to give for peace of mind and efficiency

It makes sense that your business needs to have the most recent version of its files saved in the cloud, but how recent is recent enough?

Files that are updated daily should be backed up daily, and ditto for those that are updated weekly and monthly.
However, tracking the frequency of file updates can be a nightmare.
It’s best to update all your files as often as possible so that frequently changing documents will still be up to date if you need to restore them

A daily backup can be easily scheduled with our streamlined backup system options.

Your data will automatically move to the cloud in encrypted form and you can choose to overwrite older versions of files to save storage space – especially if your business uses a large amount of data for its storage each month.

If you do need more storage as your business grows, our flexible cloud backup options will let you size up your storage as and when you need it.

To learn more about our secure cloud storage packages for businesses, visit our product page today.

Cloud Backup Trends 2024 |Cloud Backup

Future Trends in Cloud Backup Technology

Secure cloud storage is every organisation’s number one defence against cybercrime. As hackers up their game on a regular basis, cloud backup technology must respond in kind by becoming more secure and reliable.

Keeping up with the race between cybercriminals and data defence systems is essential for every business, especially when it comes to choosing a cloud storage solution. Let’s take a look at some of the big future trends in the backup industry and what they mean for the safety of your data.

AI Integration

By now, almost everyone has tried out ChatGPT or a similar AI application. This technology may not be perfect yet, but it certainly has the potential to become a powerful assistant in almost every industry – and secure backup is no exception.

Cybercrime detection and recovery is a major use case for AI and we expect to see more applications of this type being rolled out this year.

Artificial intelligence can help to detect cyberattacks by monitoring changes to the files on a company’s storage devices or in the cloud. When it comes to recovery, a blanket approach whereby every file is rolled back to a certain point in time before the attack risks losing a significant amount of recent data.

AI assists in this regard by scanning individual files and restoring them to the most recent viable version.

Virtual desktops

When employees work remotely, they introduce an added layer of worry for IT security administrators: using their own devices.

No matter how careful the user may be, working on a device that doesn’t conform to the organisation’s digital security specifications will always create the potential for data leaks, breaches and cyberattacks to take place.

Forward thinking IT managers are responding by creating virtual desktops, which use the identical productivity and digital security software found on any of the on-site devices used by employees while maintaining real time back up. This helps to ensure data security while team members are working remotely.

The effectiveness of using virtual desktops will come down to advanced secure cloud storage and fully updated antivirus and malware software to prevent remote takeover attempts and data loss.

A serious demand for Cybersecurity

As the number of cyberattacks in South Africa continues to soar amid claims that the government isn’t doing enough to stem the tide, organisations are responding with a sense of urgency.

Cloud based backup solutions with immutable storage and full integration of real time backups across the organisation, coupled with enhanced user training for employees are likely to become the gold standard going forward.

If you’re ready to combat cybercrime, using the latest secure cloud storage technology. look no further. Soteria offers a range of effective secure backup solutions for businesses of all sizes. Visit our product page today to learn more.

Business Backups | Cloud Storage

Business Backups – Is it Time to Shift from Hard Drives to Cloud Backup

External hard drives, USB sticks, and even the occasional writable CD ROM are still being used in offices across the country – even as cloud storage becomes increasingly popular as a means to secure company data.

As a business owner, choosing between physical storage such as hard drives and secure cloud storage could have a big impact on your data security and potentially save you money in the long term.

Let’s take a look at physical storage and the cloud, compare their pros and cons, and help you decide which is best for your business.

Are hard drives still relevant?

From online streaming services taking the place of the movie theatre and CD shop to online shopping looking to replace malls – not to mention the ubiquitous Zoom call which changed our meeting cultures forever – it’s safe to say that the cloud is the future.

Despite these shifts, some businesses still choose physical backup hard drives over cloud-based storage, citing data breaches, hacking attempts and lost files. There is also often concern that their data is being stored in overseas locations.

Many businesses still see physical backups as the easiest, if somewhat least professional way of storing business data which can then be enabled to share to network drives on employee’s computers. The downside is that you have to pay for the hardware upfront and it’s not cheap.

Businesses like this will typically use external hard drives to back up their files – hopefully on a regular basis – in the hope that these devices will eventually contain a full set of data that can be used to restore files in the event of a hardware failure.

The perceived reliability of physical backup that comes with having an external hard drive on your desk or in the server room may be comforting to some, but these devices have one major flaw:

If the drive is stolen or malfunctions, the device itself can usually be replaced but the files can’t.

Cloud storage, with its decentralised and encrypted data protection technology, virtually illuminates this risk and gives individuals and business owners the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the data can be fully recovered in the event of a cyberattack.

Why cloud storage is a winner in 2023 and beyond

Secure cloud storage technology offers all the functionality of an external physical backup device, but with a level of encryption, security, and flexibility that these devices simply can’t offer.

Data kept safe in the cloud is encrypted so that it can’t simply be stolen and accessed by hackers and cybercriminals.
Cloud-based backup solutions offer multiple-factor authentication to verify the identity of users and prevent unauthorized access.
Unlike an external hard drive, the entire cloud can’t be stolen during a robbery,

As an added advantage, secure cloud storage can be scaled up or down depending on your data requirements.

A business that requires 1 GB of storage will pay a significantly lower monthly subscription, than one requiring one 1 TB of storage, helping business owners to reduce costs over the long term.

Experience the ease and security of secure cloud storage

Tired of forgetting to back up your data manually? Soteria’s range of encrypted cloud storage solutions for businesses and households alike offers the best security and flexibility at competitive rates to suit any budget.

To get started securing your data, browse our range of packages today and choose the backup option that best suits your needs.

More Cybersecurity – False Sense of Security

Is more cybersecurity always better?

Investing in security is something that goes without saying for most businesses. When it comes to protecting the company’s online assets, many IT managers are of the opinion that more cyber defences are better.

Yet with such a huge investment in multiple security layers, cyberattacks are still on the rise.

In this article, we make the controversial point that more (cybersecurity) is not always better. Here’s the case for companies to stick to a handful of security measures, including secure cloud storage and maintain these measures actively to achieve the highest possible level of protection.

got more cybersecurity measures than you can count?

…you probably can’t always count on them

When the environment seems threatening, the first thing most of us do is up our security game. In tech terms, that usually means adding more layers of protection.

This approach – which is akin to installing an alarm system, putting burglar bars on all your windows, buying a couple of pitbulls, and getting the best armed response in town – may seem like a surefire way to avoid a cyberattack.

Unfortunately, many businesses have fallen prey to hackers despite having a raft of security features including firewalls, multiple antivirus software, network monitoring software, and even proprietary security apps.

Extra security creates extra work: more apps to monitor and update. At the same time, it can also us complacent – and that’s exactly the type of scenario that cybercriminals like to exploit.

A single out of date app that hasn’t been patched can open a crack in your security shield for hackers to exploit – and the more layers you have, the greater the risk.

keep it simple with quality security solutions

Instead of piling one cybersecurity solution on top of another, we recommend that companies keep their data safe by having:

A high-quality firewall and antivirus software
Industry standard file encryption
Secure cloud storage
A comprehensive employee training program to reduce susceptibility to social engineering attacks and prevent unnecessary data leaks

Secure cloud storage with advanced encryption technology is exactly what you’ll find in Soteria’s range of cloud storage packages for business. Browse our product offering today to start backing up your crucial business data.

Understanding data backup and recovery solutions | Cloud backup

How does data backup and recovery keep your crucial information safe?

With all the headlines about data leaks, ransomware, and cyber attacks, you have every reason to be concerned about the safety of your business data.

Data backup and secure cloud storage are key tools for keeping your business information safe, but if you’re not a tech expert you may be wondering how they work.

To help you choose the best secure cloud storage package to suit your company’s needs, we’ve put together a quick guide to online backup.

What is backup, and why do you need it?

Every time you send an email, make a payment online, process an order from a client, or book a business trip, you’re creating thousands of bytes of new data that can be stolen by hackers and other criminals online.

Data backup and recovery, especially secure cloud storage, is one of the best ways to protect your sensitive company information from hackers and cybercriminals.
Cloud backup works by making a copy of your data and storing it online to protect it from cyberattacks and physical computer theft.
By scheduling regular data backups and storing your info in the cloud, you can rest easy knowing that your sensitive business files are safe from cybercriminals.

Many business owners are keen to keep their data safe, but the ins and outs of online backup can be complicated and even intimidating. In reality though, it’s an easy system to understand. Here’s how it works.

Backup keeps your data safe – at a safe distance

Many companies operate on the “321 data security model” to keep business and confidential client information safe:

There should always be three copies of important data.
Two of them should be on different physical media
At least one copy should be in the cloud

Cloud storage is essential because one of the biggest security risks relating to data stored on your office hardware (like a computer hard drive or USB stick) is that it can be physically stolen, lost in a fire or damaged.

One robbery at your company’s premises could be a major jackpot for criminals looking to obtain your company data and commit fraud or other online crimes – but not if your data is backup up in the cloud.

How much of your data should you back up – and how often?

Two major considerations when it comes to backing up your data are how often you want to perform a backup and how much data you want to save each time.

A full backup or mirror backup saves an exact copy of your data each time. This is extremely helpful in case of a data leak or breach but it also consumes a lot of storage space.
Opting for a full backup every time means you’ll need to continuously increase the capacity of your cloud storage.
Alternatives for businesses that would prefer to streamline their storage usage include incremental backup (which only backs up files that have changed since the last backup) and intermittent backup which sets a time interval like once a week or once a month to backup new data.

An automatic backup service is great in terms of time saving for both you and your employees,. However, you may not want to wait too long between backups since important data that hasn’t been saved in the cloud yet could be vulnerable to hackers and other cybercriminals.

We recommend that you backup your data at least once a week, especially given the wave of cyber attacks against companies in SA recently.

Now you know how back up works, we’d love to be your secure cloud storage provider

Regular scheduled backups using encrypted secure cloud storage are an excellent way to keep your data safe, no matter what the dark web throws at you.

To get started, head over to our website and browse our range of cloud storage packages for individuals and businesses today.

Cyber defence for SMBs | Cloud Based Security Solutions

Cloud-based security solutions for SMBs

A major shift in the cybersecurity landscape is taking place this year as small businesses find themselves targeted by hackers and other bad actors in the online space.

Ransomware attacks, which typically used to affect larger companies because of their ability to pay extravagant amounts of money, are now shifting into the SMB (small and medium business) space and every enterprise in South Africa needs to be aware of this real threat.

One of the major challenges for small business owners as they take actions to secure their companies online is the prohibitive cost of implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity system. Cloud-based solutions like our secure storage packages offer an affordable and secure alternative to traditional IT security setups.

Security and affordability in the cloud

Traditional data storage was usually focused on hardware such as the hard drives and removables, but it has proven to be way too vulnerable to cyberattacks. What’s more, the cost of maintaining and securing this technology is beyond the reach of most small businesses, and the type of data storage service that they’re likely to receive on a budget may leave security loopholes open for potential cyber attackers to exploit.

Cloud-based data storage solutions can be tailored to the exact needs of the business on a pay as you use basis, making them ideal for SMB’s that are looking to scale up in the coming years.
As a shared resource, cloud-based data storage can offer far superior reliability and security features than most small businesses could afford to implement on a standalone basis. This translates into enhanced security at a fraction of the cost.
Technical support is an essential feature of any data storage product. A cloud-based solution gives clients access to a team of IT professionals who are available around the clock to assist with technical issues. Needless to say, the cost of employing an IT specialist 24-hours a day would be prohibitive for almost every small business

Empower your business with secure cloud storage today

Soteria Cloud is a provider of online backup and cloud storage services that offer the latest in data encryption and protection services at competitive prices. To learn how we can help your business stay safe online, browse our range of secure cloud storage packages for businesses of all sizes.

Defend your Data | Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity must haves to defend your data

If you are a regular reader of our blog, you’ll know that we’ve been sounding the alarm about the rising tide of cyberattacks targeting SA companies and other institutions. Several large data leaks affecting well-known brands have been dominating the tech headlines since late last year, serving as a strong reminder that cybercriminals won’t be going away anytime soon but it’s never too late to defend your data.

In order to ensure the safety of your business data, it’s essential to take a holistic approach to dealing with online threats and resolving them from a data and financial point of view.

Here are some things to consider when protecting sensitive information from hackers and online criminals.

ransomware: the threat is real

The Veeam Ransomware Trends report for 2022 reveals that 9 out of 10 companies have experienced a ransomware attack, with one third of the data involved being unrecoverable.

In the case of large companies, ransomware attacks can be especially costly, with each incident involving an average of R7 million in ransom. Even if the company refuses to pay this type of amount, the damage to their brand and reputation could easily exceed it.

insure against cybercrime losses

No business would operate without physical insurance covering their premises and inventory. Yet many companies are inadequately insured against cybercrimes, exposing their owners and shareholders to costly financial losses.

2022 is the year to review your backup plan and your business insurance. It’s time to take a stand against cybercrime by protecting your business from cyber threats, and ensuring that if you’re security is breached, you are insured for any financial losses resulting from stolen data, lost sales, and damages claimed by customers whose information is lost in a data breach.

make sure your company is POPIA compliant

The Protection of Personal Information Act places extensive obligations on businesses to protect their clients’ information.

While ensuring your business against these losses as mentioned above, it is essential to ensure that you comply with the new law and take all necessary measures to protect your customers’ data.
This includes asking for permission to store and distribute any sensitive information that comes from your client base.

make secure cloud storage the backbone of your cybersecurity preparedness

Taking a simple step such as backing up your data in the cloud and encrypting it could help protect your sensitive information from cybercriminals while minimising the impact of a data leak or hacking attempt. Insuring your business against such an attempt or loss of data is a secure backup to your online backup.

To learn more about secure cloud storage and how it can benefit your business visit our website or contact us today.

Processing Business Data Securely | Data security

How to process company information and data securely across your business

Whether you are a small start-up or a large corporation, data security is an all-or-nothing business, yet many of us assume that having antivirus software and a standard firewall is more than enough to keep our data safe.

If your data security measures don’t work together in sync, your organisation’s sensitive information could still be severely at risk.

In this article we take a look at the overall strategy that’s required to keep data safe in every corner of your business while giving you some tips for implementing this far-reaching approach to cyber security.

the 3 keys to processing business data securely

Considering how damaging a data leak or breach can be to your business, both financially and in terms of reputation, there’s no time to lose when it comes to implementing an organisation-wide data security policy. But what should it be?

They are three basic elements that form the foundation of a good data security approach: team education, secure cloud storage, and data encryption.

Train your team to spot and deal with threats. Company-wide education about email threats, a comprehensive data security policy, and a cyber incident response plan can all put your team in a position to respond swiftly to cyberattacks and prevent them from occurring. Ensure that your team know how to identify scams and phishing attacks and instil a sense of responsibility in each member.
Get secure cloud storage. There’s no substitute for safe online data storage. Taking information off your physical devices and keeping it safe in the cloud is non-negotiable in 2022.
Encrypt your data. Opt for cloud storage that uses advanced data encryption and activate encryption on all the apps and communication channels your business uses.

take the first step toward a cyber-safe organisation with us

Secure cloud storage with data encryption should be a non-negotiable foundation of your data security strategy. Our range of business cloud storage packages is the ideal way to ensure that you prioritise data protection to keep your sensitive information under close guard.