NEWS
Consequences for business with hack of South African Companies and Intellectual Property Commission
Richard Frost
The South African Companies and
Intellectual Property Commission , CIPC holds the registration details of companies , co-operatives and intellectual property rights within a vast database that comprises ID numbers , addresses , contact information and more . It has also recently been compromised in a hack that has left millions of companies vulnerable .
As Richard Frost , Head of Consulting at Armata points out , the lack of visibility into the type of information stolen is a very real concern as some of the data should not be in the public domain , much less in the hands of hackers .
For many companies and individuals , a successful hack or case of fraud can leave them financially destitute and there are limited legal and governmental protections in place . While this landscape is changing , the best step forward is to be on the constant alert to avoid the need to take the CIPC on a long , drawn-out court case or rebuild your business from scratch .
In addition to impersonating a Director , fraudsters can use the information to email customers of legitimate organisations and claim the company has changed its bank account information . They can provide customers and suppliers with CIPC data that verifies who they are and essentially siphon funds away from the business .
As the extent of the hack emerges , companies need to remain on the alert for at least six to 12 months . This type of attack has a long tail and organisations need to protect themselves through constant vigilance . The risk is that many companies will not realise they have been targeted until an incident is flagged .
“ Companies , whether they are large enterprises or solopreneurs , need to stay close to TransUnion and Experian right now ,” says Frost .
African SAP User Group promotes Amanda Gibbs to CEO
The Board of Directors of the African SAP User Group , AFSUG announced that Amanda Gibbs has been promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer . In this key role , she will work closely with the AFSUG Board ’ s Core Providership Team and the Board of Directors to further advance the strategic goals of AFSUG .
Gibbs joined AFSUG as General Manager in January 2020 and , with her robust marketing background , fostered connections and collaboration among SAP customers and partners . She has grown the user group membership by 28 % and contributed to the SAP User Group Executive Network , SUGEN , through open dialogue and knowledge sharing . With expertise in new business development and customer relationship management , Gibbs ’ mission is to advance excellence and innovation for African and global SAP Users .
The African SAP User Group , AFSUG is an independent , non-profit organisation dedicated to serving the needs of SAP users across Africa . Through its diverse range of events , forums , and resources , AFSUG is ONE VOICE for the community where customers and partners can engage in best practices discussions , share stories of common interest , enhancing influence and collaboration , and speeding up business implementation .
Duke Mathebula , Chairperson of the Board commented , “ Over the past four years , Amanda has played a key role in rebranding AFSUG and boosting its membership base , together with her valued contributions at SUGEN . Her providership capability and proven experience within the SAP community will help us further expand our reach and create value for the African SAP community .”
Louise Steenekamp , AFSUG Vice-Chair stated : “ We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Amanda Gibbs as the new CEO of AFSUG . Amanda brings a unique blend of expertise , dynamism , and a profoundly positive energy that aligns perfectly with our mission and values .”
Amanda Gibbs
14 INTELLIGENTCIO AFRICA www . intelligentcio . com