THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING
× 
Enterprise Security Mag Weekly Brief
Be first to read the latest tech news, Industry Leader's Insights, and CIO interviews of medium and large enterprises exclusively from Enterprise Security Mag
Evolution of Cyber Security in Africa
Enterprise Security Magazine | Wednesday, February 15, 2023
The cybersecurity landscape is fluid and constantly changing. The last few years have shown a significant rise in industry-specific attacks focused on healthcare, supply chains, education, etc. This trend will likely proceed to the following year, and the industries on the weaker end of digital transformation are easy targets for cyber-attacks.
FREMONT, CA: Organisations have identified a rise in cyberattacks over the past six months that have targeted South Africa's financial, insurance, and government sectors. There have been more than 1450 attacks weekly on average throughout the nation. Given the increased number of threats coming from cloud and mobile platforms in the upcoming months, this trend is expected to persist. Threat actors might target nations all over the continent rather than just South Africa as their primary objective.
Endpoints remain a key target for knowledgeable hackers. Instead of just stealing sensitive data from endpoints, attackers are also using them as a base to launch more lucrative attacks like ransomware and business email compromise. Businesses also need to manage an increasing number of devices, such as employee-owned devices that are not connected to corporate networks and Internet of Things (IoT) devices like virtual personal assistants that require access to corporate networks, services, or databases. Endpoint management tools and endpoint protection solutions, therefore, continue to be of utmost importance.
Stay ahead of the industry with exclusive feature stories on the top companies, expert insights and the latest news delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe today.
The cybersecurity environment is dynamic and ever-evolving. Attacks targeting certain industries, such as those in healthcare, supply chains, education, etc., have significantly increased over the past few years. The industries at the weaker end of the digital transformation are easy targets for cyberattacks, and this tendency is likely to continue into the following year. In such a paradigm, solutions to identify these threats, platforms to secure and manage business devices, and other SaaS products can offer visibility, protection, and an efficient management platform to look after the variety of endpoints being deployed.
The introduction of the cloud and the subsequent migration thereto allowed businesses to establish flexible boundaries to provide clients with a more encompassing solution. This strategy is being adopted by every SaaS company to combine the benefits of several products and offers a common console for simple management. The popularity and expansion of SASE (secure access service edge) are examples of such a collaboration. SASE is a concept in cybersecurity that unifies several network connectivity and network security technologies into a single service that is provided via the cloud. By 2023, it is expected that global spending on SASE will increase by USD eight billion, which demonstrates both its worth and significance.
The availability of more sophisticated technology has enabled organisations to improve their defensive postures. For instance, Kenyan companies have adopted the SASE and zero trust network access (ZTNA) strategies. They enable organisations to manage networks and security jointly by combining the network system and security measures. Employees frequently use cloud services to complete their work by connecting to a company's systems over VPNs from their homes or coworking spaces. Diversifying workplace and data asset locations have made it more challenging for an organisation's IT staff to oversee everything under a single security policy.
Security and management software will also include AI in their current toolkits by 2023. AI has significantly facilitated automation in security systems during the past few years. For instance, AI and ML are used by intelligent threat detection systems, such as endpoint detection and response solutions, to find and address zero-day vulnerabilities that might be detrimental to a company. Many solutions incorporating AI technology to improve their security posture will be available in the upcoming years.
The most important thing that can be done at any company is to develop and foster a culture of awareness regarding cybersecurity concerns. Cybersecurity can no longer be viewed by employers and employees as something that the IT department should handle. Instead of taking a proactive approach, many IT security plans choose a reactive one that requires spending money to recover from attacks and repair brand reputation. Attackers profit from this and aim for the weak points to inflict harm. Social engineering techniques are used in phishing attacks to trick victims into providing sensitive information or downloading malware onto their machines.
Without technical knowledge, anyone may learn to spot these assaults and take easy precautions to protect oneself. In the same way, everyone should be trained and kept up to date on basic security skills, including how to use strong passwords and understand two-factor authentication (2FA). If a company wants to ensure resilience and readiness over the next 12 months, simple measures like these will be a crucial part of its security strategy.
Companies in Africa and the rest of the world will be under pressure from the cyber threat landscape in the upcoming months. Attack vectors will get more ferocious as artificial intelligence and machine learning become more widely used. To keep their environments secure, businesses and consumers must have a thorough cybersecurity strategy. Ransomware and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks are not going away anytime soon.
Users are under increased pressure to stay current on the most recent changes to the threat landscape. Individuals cannot afford to ignore cybersecurity due to the smaller, more agile criminal entities aiming to exploit any potential holes in enterprise and end-user defences. The necessity of organisations and consumers needing to be attentive and make sure their applications and data are protected will be highlighted in the upcoming months. Users across Africa must give their cyber defences top priority due to the rise in malware, the normalisation of hybrid work, and the requirement to adopt cutting-edge technology in a digital environment.
More in News
DNS has become harder to police as application traffic moves between corporate networks and cloud environments. Security teams may inspect internet-bound requests while retaining limited visibility into internal DNS activity, leaving lateral traffic harder to trace. That gap matters when malicious domains, DNS tunneling or compromised endpoints use ordinary name resolution as a path around controls. Executives evaluating DNS traffic security should look beyond external filtering and ask how much of the actual query path the security layer can see.
Visibility begins with knowing which device generated a query and where that request traveled. Internet-only inspection can miss traffic that remains inside the enterprise, particularly in distributed networks where applications depend on internal DNS records. Useful protection needs coverage at the point where queries originate, supported by searchable logging that gives security teams enough context to investigate suspicious behavior. DNS data should also feed existing security tools rather than create another isolated console. Integration with SIEM platforms and established security controls can shorten the path from detection to investigation.
Hybrid infrastructure creates a separate purchasing problem. Enterprises rarely operate on a clean network built around one architecture. Legacy DNS services may remain in place while workloads spread across data centers and public clouds. Replacing that infrastructure can introduce migration risk and delay security improvements. A practical DNS security platform should be able to sit over existing environments, centralize policy and extend control without forcing an immediate rebuild. API access also matters because repetitive DNS administration becomes costly when changes across large networks still depend on manual intervention.
“Access Quality layers centralized DNS control over existing infrastructure without forcing buyers into a wholesale replacement.”
Availability deserves equal scrutiny, as DNS protection cannot become another point of failure. Traffic surges and denial-of-service attacks can disrupt access even when the application infrastructure remains healthy. Buyers should examine how DNS security handles sudden demand, distributed environments and malicious traffic while preserving response availability. Policy enforcement also needs to remain consistent as applications move between locations. A security model that works only in one cloud or inside the corporate network leaves the enterprise managing different rules across the same service path.
Regional deployment adds another layer of complexity. Large organizations may need local technical support, training for internal teams and deployment choices that reflect existing network designs. The quality of implementation matters here as much as the underlying technology. Centralized control has limited value if internal teams cannot maintain policies or investigate events once the initial project ends.
Access Quality fits this buying logic through BlueCat-based DDI and DNS security deployments that combine DNS control with DHCP, IP address management and native protection. BlueCat DNS Edge can inspect internal and external DNS activity while forwarding logs into SIEM environments and working alongside Cisco Umbrella.
It layers centralized DNS control over existing infrastructure without forcing buyers into a wholesale replacement. Its use of BlueCat Micetro DDI and Integrity DDI also supports hybrid and multi-cloud management, while RESTful API integration helps reduce manual administration. For enterprises that need broader DNS visibility without rebuilding the network underneath it, that combination merits close consideration. ...Read more
Identity theft has shifted from isolated financial fraud to a broad digital risk affecting employees, families and institutions. Criminal networks now deploy AI-driven impersonation, automated payment scams and large-scale data harvesting to exploit individuals at speed. For executives responsible for selecting identity and privacy protection providers, the issue extends beyond offering a benefit. It involves safeguarding workforce well-being, reducing reputational exposure and reinforcing institutional trust. Boards increasingly expect leadership teams to demonstrate that identity protection programs are structured, measurable and aligned with broader risk management priorities.
The most credible providers demonstrate depth across the full lifecycle of identity risk. Protection must begin before a loss occurs, through continuous monitoring across credit activity, transactions, dark web sources and emerging scam channels such as email, text and device notifications. Effective programs extend beyond detection alerts. They guide individuals in interpreting threats, provide real-time assistance and assume responsibility for restoring identity when fraud occurs. Dedicated case management, clear ownership of recovery and coverage for eligible scam losses signal whether a provider can meaningfully reduce harm rather than simply notify users. Clear communication during incidents also strengthens confidence among employees and customers who expect immediate clarity rather than fragmented support.
Prevention requires education delivered before the moment of vulnerability. Fraud often succeeds by creating urgency and fear, prompting individuals to act without verification. Ongoing awareness initiatives, timely alerts and targeted guidance help shift behavior in advance. Tools that allow individuals to manage their digital footprint and request removal of exposed data from broker sources further reduce repeat targeting. Organizations also benefit from vendors that address disproportionate fraud exposure among seniors, families and vulnerable populations through focused knowledge centers and accessible resources. Prevention becomes more credible when it is continuous rather than episodic and when individuals receive practical next steps instead of abstract warnings.
Enterprise adoption depends on simplicity and adaptability. Employers and financial institutions face constraints around implementation, adoption and integration within existing platforms. Providers that streamline onboarding, offer configurable plans and embed protection directly into digital environments support higher engagement and clearer reporting. Large enterprises require evidence of scale, sustained innovation and the ability to anticipate shifts in identity itself as biometric authentication and device-based credentials become more prevalent. Vendors must demonstrate that their roadmap keeps pace with changes in how identity is defined and exploited.
Allstate Identity Protection aligns closely with these expectations. Built on its nearly two decades experience in the identity protection market and supported by a longstanding national brand associated with protection, it positions trust at the center of its approach. Its model spans education, detection, prevention and restoration, combining credit, transaction and scam monitoring with proactive device-level scam detection and personal data removal capabilities. The company assigns certified specialists to oversee each restoration case, ensuring continuity of support until resolution. It also provides eligible scam loss reimbursement beyond what many financial institutions offer and partners with established cybersecurity and family digital safety providers to strengthen its platform. Serving a significant share of Fortune 500 clients while remaining accessible as an employer benefit, it demonstrates both scale and adaptability. For organizations aiming to embed comprehensive identity and privacy protection within employee and customer ecosystems, it represents a disciplined and forward-looking choice. ...Read more
In an increasingly interconnected world, businesses face a growing number of cybersecurity threats that continue to evolve in complexity and scale. Traditional network defense systems, while effective to a certain extent, often struggle to keep pace with the sophisticated tactics employed by cybercriminals. In response to this, AI-powered firewall solutions are gaining traction as a cutting-edge method to enhance cybersecurity efforts.
These intelligent systems leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect, analyze, and mitigate threats in real-time. By automating threat detection and response, AI firewalls offer businesses a more dynamic, proactive approach to security, addressing some of the limitations inherent in traditional security frameworks.
The Power of AI in Firewall Technology
AI-driven firewalls set themselves apart from traditional ones by processing incoming network traffic through data analysis, predictive modeling, and advanced algorithms for decision-making. Traditional firewalls apply a set of rule-based patterns to detect malicious activity, often becoming unprotected against new, unknown threats.
AI firewalls, in contrast, continuously learn from historical data and establish correlations between user behaviors and network traffic patterns that can be used to identify suspicious, anomalous activities, which could either be deviations from the norm. It gives AI firewalls the ability to detect zero-day attacks, previously unknown vulnerabilities, and emerging threats that otherwise might have escaped scrutiny.
AI firewalls are enabled with real-time decision-making capabilities to counterattack potential threats immediately. Firewalls, based on the nature of the attack detected-whether it is a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack, a malware injection, or an unauthorized access attempt- attempt to adjust their set of precautions dynamically. These properties serve to make AI firewalls correct and fast in their decision-making, which leads to a minimization of incidences of false positives and negatives.
Another key consideration in favor of AI firewalls is scalability. As an organization grows and the network becomes more complex, these firewalls can change and scale in response to the increased traffic, new endpoints, and added security roles. Meanwhile, the traditional firewall has a drawback of requiring manual updates to rules and configurations, which can become tedious and time-consuming as the actual network expands. The AI firewalls, on the other hand, are continually refining the rules and strategies through their own initiatives to ensure security is guaranteed as the organization matures.
The Efficiency and Reduced Costs of Operations
Aside from these advanced means of threat detection, operational efficiency is also where AI firewalls stand out. Traditional security measures require intensive human involvement to configure, monitor, and manage. Security teams need to update firewall rules regularly and check for potential incidents and possible unreported vulnerabilities, which exhaust human resources. AI firewalls reduce such work to a minimum because most are automated, therefore freeing up cybersecurity professionals to partake in high-level strategic work.
Conversely, AI firewalls greatly minimize operational costs through less manual intervention. They can automatically perform routine tasks, including filtering traffic and ranking threats, thereby cutting down on labor costs and human fallibility. Businesses mitigate some of the effects of security compromises by applying automated responses to some attacks; otherwise, the repercussions would result in costly downtimes, reputational degradation, and legal accountability.
AI firewalls greatly facilitate operational efficiency through the rapid identification and elimination of threats. This proactive approach to cybersecurity affords companies excellent network uptime and stability and, hence, productivity protection from operational interruptions. In the finance or healthcare industries, where data safeguarding is paramount, a proactive defensive mechanism guarantees compliance with regulations and protection for clients' sensitive information.
Integrating AI Firewalls within Existing Security Infrastructure
Integration of AI firewall solutions into the existing structure of an organization’s security infrastructure poses several challenges in terms of due diligence and feasibility. Such concern requires an extra look at how these AI systems will work in concert alongside traditional firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and other extant measures. Ideally, AI firewalls will complement already existing solutions by improving their capabilities instead of completely replacing them.
One of the significant issues surrounding the implementation of AI firewalls is the assurance of seamless communication between different security components. A good integration will allow the business to reap the full benefits of AI firewalls' learning capabilities without interrupting other established protocols. Most organizations adopt partial implementations of the AI firewall, essentially starting from the network's most critical parts and then expanding outwards.
For the successful deployment of AI firewalls, there must be a significant investment in further training of cybersecurity practitioners and experts. These will require the acquisition of skills in interpreting data provided by the AI, effective handling of alerts, and optimization of algorithm performance. This way, the company will be in a position to enjoy the full range of benefits afforded by such an advanced system.
In the long run, with the advancement of AI technology, AI firewalls will be a linchpin in comprehensive strategies for safeguarding against cyber threats by proactively predicting threats, managing networks dynamically, and cutting overall costs. As a result, companies adopting an AI firewall into their security infrastructure will build a more resilient and responsive countermeasure for the protection of data and assets in an arduous digital arena. ...Read more
Cybersecurity leaders no longer evaluate multifactor authentication as a narrow login control. It now sits at the center of trust because the network perimeter has been replaced by cloud applications, remote access, mobile users and third-party services. Attackers have adapted. Rather than defeating infrastructure directly, they target the human identity layer through phishing, fake websites, credential reuse, session interception and social engineering. AI has sharpened deception, weakening legacy assumptions about passwords, one-time codes and user vigilance.
Traditional MFA can reduce some exposure, but it often preserves the weakness it is meant to protect. A password remains in the path, a user still has to recognize a fraudulent prompt, a code may still be entered into a hostile session and the burden of correctness often sits with the individual. For executives, this is not just a security design problem. It becomes a cost, productivity and confidence problem. Help desks carry reset volume, employees navigate repeated prompts, customers abandon frustrating processes and fraud teams absorb losses when authentication stops at login but fails to control sensitive actions after access is granted.
The stronger path removes static credentials from daily use rather than hiding them behind more steps. It should make trust mutual, so the service proves itself to the user before the user approves the session. It should also extend beyond login, because access to payroll, funds transfer, privileged systems or sensitive records requires authorization tied to the verified person, not just an earlier sign-in. Biometric confirmation, device trust, cryptographic validation and context-aware checks matter most when they reduce the chance that a stolen credential, copied website or compromised session can become real damage.
Adoption depends just as much on usability. Security teams have spent years asking users to remember, rotate, reset and protect secrets while interpreting security cues under pressure. That model does not scale across banking customers, public-sector users, field employees, shared workstations, legacy applications and VPN access. The right approach should simplify the act of proving identity, accommodate users with different levels of digital confidence and integrate across environments that cannot all be rebuilt. Simplicity is not softness. It is the discipline of reducing unnecessary steps while preserving proof, control and auditability.
Executives should also look for coverage that matches enterprise reality. A solution that works only for new cloud applications can leave exposed systems behind. One that requires broad redesign can slow adoption. One that replaces a single password burden with multiple disconnected authentication paths can dilute governance. The benchmark is a consistent identity experience across cloud, desktop, VPN, legacy, shared and constrained environments, backed by implementation support that lets security leaders test, train and expand without disrupting users.
PasswordFree© emerges as the premier choice for organizations that want MFA to move from layered passwords toward true password elimination. Its differentiator is full duplex authentication, in which the service validates itself to the user before the user confirms identity through a matched image, short code and biometric approval. That design addresses phishing, imposter websites and one-way code entry. Its website scope reinforces the fit through passwordless authentication, Windows Hello extension and coverage across cloud, desktop, VPN, legacy, shared and airgapped systems. For buyers prioritizing trust, broad reach and user simplicity, PasswordFree© offers the clearest path forward. ...Read more
