February 26, 2024
Hacktivism: The overlooked threat to enterprises
Businesses face a plethora of dangers that can compromise their data and disrupt operations. While hackers and other cyber criminals make headlines in South Africa, another menace looms large: hacktivism.
In 2024, the prevalence of hacktivism will grow, with a significant impact on businesses. This is an often overlooked element of cyber crime and companies rarely think that they will fall victim to hacktivism.
What is hacktivism?
Hacktivism is a combination of the words "hacking" and "activism." While both hacking and hacktivism aim to compromise computer systems and networks, the key difference is in their motivation.
Traditional cyber criminals seek monetary gain, whereas hacktivists utilise their technical skills to further social or political agendas. As a result, hacktivism is a distinct and multifaceted threat to businesses.
Due to their perceived influence and impact on society, large enterprises are frequently targeted by hacktivist groups. These people use organisations to publicly disclose issues, highlight social injustices, or criticise political ideas.
The effects might vary from reputational harm and financial losses to legal ramifications and business disruption. Businesses that fail to recognise the threat of hacktivism endanger their assets, consumers and stakeholders.
Best practices for preventing hacktivism
There are several steps that enterprises can take to mitigate the changes of hacktivist attacks. Start by creating a tight cyber security strategy. To safeguard their networks and sensitive data, businesses must implement comprehensive cyber security measures such as tight access controls, regular vulnerability assessments and multi-factor authentication.
Next, companies should work to keep a strong online brand reputation, as this can dissuade hacktivist groups from targeting them. Use social media monitoring tools to identify and respond to any bad sentiment or false charges as soon as possible.
Lastly, stay up-to-date on emerging threats. Businesses should be aware of the latest hacking tactics, trends and hacktivist groups in their region. This will allow you to maintain a proactive security stance and be prepared for any potential hacks. Always assess your cyber security posture on a regular basis and upgrade security protocols as needed.
Hacktivism is an increasing threat for businesses, necessitating a proactive strategy to prevent prospective attacks. Companies should improve their cyber security defences and be ready to protect their assets, customers and reputation by understanding the motivations and effects of hacktivism.
SEACOM offers a range of cyber security services to large enterprises in South Africa. These bespoke solutions can be implemented efficiently and allow companies to upgrade their security protocols on a regular basis. For more information about our cyber security services or to get a quote, email us at marketing@seacom.com or leave us a message.
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