Load shedding has put employers in a tricky spot, with businesses taking little action to fight data blackouts when the power trips.<\/p>\n
Gerhard Swart, the chief technology officer at cyber security firm Performanta said that many companies are cutting corners regarding their online security when load shedding hits to keep productivity high – taking significant risks.<\/p>\n
“Today’s digital businesses must balance access to their systems with hybrid workers, 24\/7 availability and ongoing security. Throw in frequent power failures, and they need to start making tough choices.”<\/p>\n
“It becomes tempting to make choices that focus on availability and sacrifice security features which is understandable, but they should be careful because cybercriminals can exploit those shortcuts,” said Swart.<\/p>\n
Load shedding puts every organisation’s security under pressure, he said.<\/p>\n
Swart said hybrid work and work-from-home setups have encouraged bad security habits, including weak passwords, reusing passwords and sharing passwords among colleagues.<\/p>\n
While passwords may not be the strongest defence against security breaches, they still play a crucial role in maintaining good security practices, said Swart. The CTO added that load shedding can exacerbate bad habits and weaken security measures.<\/p>\n
Businesses are therefore encouraged to establish a clear password policy, check for duplicate passwords and consider using a company-supported password manager, said Swart.<\/p>\n
Load shedding also causes vast swings in where people decide to access systems based on timing and locations, opening them up to criminals. Swart said that companies should implement multi-factor authentication to reduce problems with hacked accounts and enlist threat-detection services to catch unusual behaviour.<\/p>\n
With a lot of companies relying on third-party datacentres, if the power was to trip at the centre – business could come to a standstill.<\/p>\n
Swart said that businesses must as a result, have data loss protection plans – including backup services and failover contingencies.<\/p>\n
According to Swart, one of the most significant risks from load shedding is the panic it can cause – opening up employees to criminals who use phishing schemes to lure victims onto a fake site to steal information while the victim thinks they are purchasing a power supply on discount.<\/p>\n