SA must take cybercrime more seriously - expert
One of the country's cyber security experts
believes this type of crime is not taken seriously enough in South Africa.
Thabo Johnson says cybercrime has increased dramatically since 2019.
"Any interaction with different spheres of business, government or individual, is because the cyber-crime is not a physical crime and, therefore, people won't take it very seriously.
"Our laws as well, are not as strict as the international laws."
Earlier this year, a cyber-attack on the National Health Laboratory Services led to a shutdown of its lab results system and website.
This week, the South African Banking Risk Information Centre said cybercrime had seen its sharpest rise last year, with digital banking fraud up by 45 percent.
READ: SA losing billions to financial crimes - SABRIC
Johnson, who is the founder of the African Society for Cyber Security Awareness, said government needs to make sure there are proper awareness programmes.
"Cyber-crime is more complicated now as it used to be, it no more somebody trying to hack your system and then you put a anti-virus and then you've prevented yourself.”
Johnson urged people to not give out personal information to strangers, especially those behind a screen or on the phone.
"I always say when it too good to be true, it is too good to be true. People get attacked because they are vulnerable, and they want to make more money and easy money.
"They end up giving away their critical information, for the perpetrators to use their money, for government to be attacked, and the winners will always be criminals," said Johnson.
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