Threats in the Wild

Clicks pharmacy store has suffered a data breach
On May 31st the Clicks pharmacy store suffered a data breach and is now limiting access to its customers’ personal data, according to Sowetan Live.
Clicks has deployed a security patch to limit access to customers’ personal data after a cyber attack, according to a recent article published by Unathi Nkanjeni of Sowetan Live.

Kwazulu-Natal justice department has lost millions from cyber-attack the 3rd time
On April 6th the Kwazulu-Natal justice department received their 3rd cyber attack which cost them millions and caused payments of the affected offices to be suspended and only resumed on 1st June.
TimesLIVE has learnt the hackers targeted the department’s Guardian’s Fund in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State and made off with R18m, according to a recent article published by Sabelo Skiti of Sowetan Live.

Use of AI has allowed scammer to pose as victim’s friend & steal R12 million.
A scammer in China used AI to pose as a businessman’s trusted friend and convince him to hand over millions of yuan, according to the authorities.
The victim received a video call last month from a person who looked and sounded like a close friend but the caller was actually a con artist “using smart AI technology to change their face” and voice, according to an article published by News24.

New kind of cyber crime i known as Virtual Kidnapping is on the rise
Hackers are using personal information obtained from data breaches and social networks to claim that they have kidnapped a relative or loved one and demand a ransom.
They can attain the data through social networks, public websites where user information is displayed publicly, or through phishing scams, according to a recent article published by IoL. article

Facebook becoming a tool for hackers to lure users into clicking malicious links
Hacked verified accounts on Facebook are now impersonating Meta, purchasing ads on the social network and allegedly luring users into clicking suspicious download links.
“A handful of verified Facebook pages were hacked recently and spotted slinging likely malware through ads approved by and purchased through the platform. But the accounts should be easy to catch — in some cases, they were impersonating Facebook itself” , According to a recent article published by IoL.

Cyber attack on Western Cape parliament downs ICT systems
The Western Cape Provincial parliament (WCPP) experienced a cyber security breach on Monday night, rendering its ICT services inaccessible.
It said in a statement that it had “invested heavily in cyber security measures, business continuity and disaster recovery plans”.
“These plans have been activated and the matter reported to the South African Police Service and the State Security Agency. To this end, the institution is currently in the process of recovering its systems from backups to a secure environment, according to a News24 article.