Auditing and financial services firmBDO South Africa and cyber security awareness specialistKnowBe4 say they are ready to help businesses address the weakest link in the cyber security chain – humans.
The partnership, announced in July this year, enables BDO to supply KnowBe4’s security awareness training and simulated phishing platforms to its clients.
KnowBe4’s solutions are used by companies to initiate simulated attacks and gauge the readiness of the business, and its employees, to effectively deal with any cyber incident.
KnowBe4 now features on BDO SA’s list of OEM partners, which means the cyber security company has access to BDO’s client base across Africa.
SA a prime target
According to BDO, South Africa remains a prime target for cyber attacks, especially ransomware.
The financial impact of these attacks continues to escalate, with IBM reporting a significant rise in the average cost of a data breach, reaching R53.10 million.
According to the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, the human element is involved in 74% of breaches, encompassing errors, misuse of privileges, use of stolen credentials, and social engineering attacks.
As more South Africans gain internet access, the increasing exposure to cyber threats highlights the urgent need to strengthen cyber security awareness, training, and education. These are areas where the country currently faces significabnt challenges, according to BDO.
Gilchrist Mushwana, director and practice head of cyber security at BDO SA, says KnowBe4 also provides comprehensive reporting and analytics so that businesses can track the effectiveness of their training programmes and measure the impact on employee behaviour.
Share