TRENDING
WHY AFRICA ’ S AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY CANNOT IGNORE THREAT OF CYBER ATTACKS
In a world increasingly reliant on digital technology , the agricultural sector ’ s vulnerability to cyberattacks not only threatens individual agricultural businesses but poses a risk to African food security , making robust cybersecurity measures of importance , says Carey van Vlaanderen at ESET Southern Africa .
Technology has improved productivity , efficiency , and communication in every industry across the globe , and agriculture is no exception . Once considered a traditionally low-technology industry , the increased use of email , online monitoring tools , remote controls , and payment systems , together with automated smart farming equipment such as Internet-connected tractors , means the digital threat level has increased for farmers .
There is a prevailing myth among the South African farming community that their businesses simply are not an attractive target for cybercriminals .
As is the case in many industries across the globe , a growing reliance on online , connected technologies means businesses are more vulnerable to cyberattacks . The use of smart devices , including sensors and analytics , IoT devices , robotics , drones , and precision farming , have all transformed the agricultural landscape for the better . These tools also gather extensive quantities of sensitive information that could be lucrative to criminals seeking financial gain .
In a report released in 2023 , South Africa ranked number five globally in a list of countries worst affected by cybercrime . Disruptions in Transnet ’ s IT applications following a cyberattack brought agricultural imports and exports to a standstill in July last year .
In a world increasingly reliant on digital technology , the agricultural sector ’ s vulnerability to cyberattacks not only threatens individual agricultural businesses
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