
South Africa remains a global hotspot for data breaches
South Africa continues to be the target of cybercriminals, with the country being ranked 27th of most breached globally. Picture: iStock
South Africa continues to be a target of cybercriminals, ranking 27th globally in the most breached countries in the second quarter of 2025, highlighting persistent cybersecurity gaps.
A new report by Surfshark has revealed that, so far in 2025, a total of 369,600 accounts have been leaked in the country.
A data breach every minute
The second quarter of the year hit a high, with one user account leaked every minute.
Surfshark's report indicates that more than 21 000 South African accounts were breached between April and June, which translates to approximately three per 100 000 people.
In total, South Africa has had a total of 124.2 million personal records exposed since 2004. On average, each email is breached with 2.9 additional data points.
ALSO READ: A cyberattack every 39 seconds: Upgrade PCs to upgrade security
Personal information
Sarunas Sereika, product manager at Surfshark, said today's digital age requires people to share more and more personal information to carry out daily tasks.
'Whether sharing your name and address for food deliveries, or phone numbers when making a booking at a barber shop, there is no guarantee that businesses are keeping crucial information safe and secure.
'In the wrong hands, this data can be used to commit identity theft, via social media, for targeted scams or sold on the dark web — where they're traded for further illegal use,' said Sereika.
Leak
Surfshark's latest study showed that 161 100 accounts were leaked in the second quarter of 2025.
Globally, a total of 93.6 million accounts were breached, with the US ranking first and amounting to 45% of all breaches from April through June. France takes second place, while India is third, followed by Germany and Israel.
ALSO READ: Data breaches cost SA organisations over R360m in 3 years
Data breach over the years
Surfshark's analysis of data breaches since 2004 shows that South Africa ranks second in Africa, with 42.8 million compromised user accounts. A total of 12.7M unique emails were breached from South Africa.
The report also showed that 22.7 million passwords were leaked together with South African accounts, putting 53% of breached users in danger of account takeover that might lead to identity theft, extortion or other cybercrimes.
Statistically, 66 out of 100 South African people have been affected by data breaches.
Global stats
Countries with the highest breach density in Q2 2025
Leaked accounts per 1,000 residents
France – 172
Israel – 130
United States – 123
Singapore – 26
Canada – 24
South Sudan – 23
Belgium – 21
Ireland – 16
Switzerland – 16
Germany – 15
Surfshark said a data breach happens when confidential and sensitive data gets exposed to unauthorised third parties.
More needs to be done
Surfshark's data breach report provides critical insight into the vulnerability of the country's cybersecurity; however, more needs to be done to protect South Africans from attack despite the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia).
While artificial intelligence and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) are the most popular technologies in the news right now, there are concerns about the emerging technology landscape, which is putting people and businesses at risk.
South African organisations must increasingly prioritise cybersecurity defences to safeguard their digital infrastructure and maintain trust in an interconnected world.
ALSO READ: Average cost of a data breach in SA is R53.1m – Report

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Herald
19 minutes ago
- The Herald
SA will seek new markets for minerals if US imposes high tariffs: Mantashe
South Africa will need to seek out alternative markets for its critical minerals exports if the US hits the country with steep tariffs, said mineral and petroleum resources minister Gwede Mantashe on Tuesday. South Africa is by far the world's leading producer of platinum group metals (PGMs), which are used in car catalytic converters and are among critical minerals subject to a US investigation that could result in new import levies. Washington launched that probe in part to pressure Beijing. China is a top global producer of 30 of the 50 minerals considered critical by the US Geological Survey and has been curtailing exports. 'If the US imposes high tariffs, we must look for alternative markets,' said Mantashe on the sidelines of a G20 meeting on critical minerals. South African exports of mineral products and precious metals to the US were valued at R65.3bn ($3.64bn) last year. PGMs, largely produced by miners Valterra Platinum and Impala Platinum, accounted for 76.3% of that total. Other South African exports to the US — its second-biggest bilateral trading partner after China — include gold, diamonds, iron and manganese ores, and coal. 'We should never be bullied for our own resources. If people want to trade with us, it must be on terms that are mutually beneficial,' Mantashe said. As President Donald Trump has sought to leverage tariff threats to reshape global trade, South Africa has had a fraught relationship with his administration, which has attacked its domestic race policy and its genocide case against Israel. South Africa's exports to the US are facing the prospect of a 30% baseline tariff from August 1, though PGMs are currently excluded from those levies. Pretoria is awaiting a response from Washington to a counterproposal it submitted last month in hopes of avoiding the 30% rate, South African officials said on Monday. Reuters

IOL News
31 minutes ago
- IOL News
The learning board: continuous education as a governance imperative
The pace of change in technology, climate governance, geopolitical tensions, stakeholder expectations, and regulatory shifts demands more than static knowledge. It calls for a governance mindset that embraces learning as a strategic necessity. Image: AI Lab Nqobani Mzizi In today's dynamic environment, a board's effectiveness is measured not just by what its members know, but by how deliberately they continue to learn. Directors may be appointed for their experience, but without renewal, that experience quickly becomes outdated. Yet in many organisations, director education is reduced to a box-ticking exercise, limited to induction packs, technical updates or ad hoc compliance briefings. This is governance at its most passive. In truth, boards should embody the traits of a learning organisation: adaptive, inquisitive, self-aware and committed to continuous renewal. An informed board acknowledges that its fiduciary duties exist in a world of fast-moving risks and opportunities. The pace of change in technology, climate governance, geopolitical tensions, stakeholder expectations, and regulatory shifts demands more than static knowledge. It calls for a governance mindset that embraces learning as a strategic necessity. The proof is stark: a 2023 PwC South Africa Director Survey revealed that 68% of South African directors admit their boards are outmatched by technological disruption, yet a mere 31% invest in formal upskilling. Directors cannot rely solely on legacy knowledge or past achievements. The role has evolved, and so must those who occupy it. In 2022, boards spent less than 5% of their time discussing climate risks. The KZN floods that year cost R50 billion. The gap between governance and reality is unsustainable. Boards that fail to learn, fail to lead. The concept of a learning organisation, popularised by Peter Senge, rests on disciplines such as systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models and team learning. These principles are equally applicable to governance. Boards that model intellectual agility are better positioned to anticipate risk, adapt to change and shape resilient organisations. They do not wait for a crisis to revisit assumptions. They engage proactively, ask difficult questions and challenge entrenched thinking. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Yet becoming a board committed to continuous renewal does not happen by accident. It requires deliberate investment. Formal director development programmes are one part of the equation, but not the whole. Ongoing capacity building must be embedded into board culture and processes. It includes reflections after key decisions, cross-committee peer learning, exposure to external perspectives and periodic assessments of knowledge gaps. It also includes openness to uncomfortable truths, recognising when the board lacks diversity of thought or when market and strategy assumptions are no longer fit for purpose. One of the clearest signals of a board's commitment to growth is how it allocates time. Agendas dominated by compliance reviews and operational reports leave little space for strategic thinking or capacity building. A forward-looking board agenda should reserve time for horizon scanning, scenario planning and trend deep dives, from generative AI and cybersecurity to climate disclosures, social unrest and institutional reputation. The question is not whether these issues are important, but whether the board is equipped to govern them well. Governance frameworks codify this imperative. King IV in South Africa explicitly underscores the need for ongoing director development as integral to ethical and effective leadership. Principle 1 highlights the responsibility of the board to lead with competence and awareness, while Principle 7 calls on governing bodies to ensure that their composition, skills, experience and capacity align with the organisation's needs. Continuous learning is, therefore, not an optional extra, but a governance requirement rooted in accountability and future fitness. Importantly, this learning orientation must go beyond individual directors. It must shape the board as a collective. The best boards are not echo chambers of technical expertise, but dynamic forums of inquiry. They welcome diverse viewpoints, interrogate blind spots and evolve with the organisation they serve. Adaptive boards are also better stewards of succession, identifying gaps and mentoring future leaders with clarity and foresight. They understand that board continuity is not just about filling seats but about transferring wisdom. Some companies have introduced directors' retreats, not as ceremonial off-sites, but as serious opportunities for immersive engagement with new ideas. Others rotate committee chairs to foster cross-learning and reduce siloed thinking. A growing number of boards are also creating advisory panels with academics, technologists or emerging market experts who present independent insights and challenge institutional orthodoxy. Boards that operate as communities of growth also tend to approach self-evaluation differently. Rather than relying on template-based questionnaires, they view assessments as opportunities to identify development areas, improve dynamics and deepen collective performance. The value lies not only in the review itself, but in the courage to act on its findings. In an age of complexity and disruption, the evolving board is not a luxury. It is a governance necessity. It strengthens oversight not only through technical competence, but through curiosity, humility and responsiveness. It builds institutional capacity not merely to react, but to adapt and regenerate in the face of change. To lead well in this environment is to remain teachable. An adaptive board recognises that effective governance is not about knowing everything, but about cultivating a posture of inquiry, one that seeks out what matters most before the next disruption makes it urgent. Board effectiveness demands self-examination. Boards must ask: Are we building knowledge renewal into our board agenda, or treating it as an after thought? Do our development efforts build strategic agility, or simply refresh technical compliance? Are we actively drawing on diverse, independent perspectives to challenge blindspots? If our approach to knowledge renewal were visible to stakeholders, would it inspire confidence or concern? Ultimately, a board's legacy will rest not on its past expertise, but on the learning culture it fostered and how well it prepared the organisation for the future. Nqobani Mzizi is a Professional Accountant (SA), (IoDSA) and an Academic. Image: Supplied * Nqobani Mzizi is a Professional Accountant (SA), (IoDSA) and an Academic. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. BUSINESS REPORT


The Citizen
31 minutes ago
- The Citizen
South Africa and China agree to collaborate on AI and innovation
The aim is to unlock collaborative research, innovation and application of AI in critical sectors, such as education, agriculture and public service delivery. SA's communications ministry delegation (right) engage their Chinese counterparts during a visit to China. Picture. Communications Ministry. South Africa and China have agreed to formally advance a proposed memorandum of understanding on artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation between the two nations. Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi led a South African delegation on an investment-focused visit to China. Engagements took place in Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai, aimed at securing support for South Africa's digital transformation. Engagement The aim is to unlock collaborative research, innovation and application of AI in critical sectors, such as education, agriculture and public service delivery. Their collective mandate was also to engage Chinese partners on projects that could accelerate connectivity, enhance digital skills and support inclusive innovation across South Africa. With South African-born Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service still evading the country, the delegation engaged with the China Satellite Network Company (CSNC), exploring the development of a satellite broadband initiative to improve last-mile connectivity in rural and underserved communities. 'This aligns with South Africa's commitment to closing the digital divide and enhancing access to education, healthcare, and digital public infrastructure,' the department of Communications and Digital Technologies spokesperson, Kwena Moloto, said. ALSO READ: Malatsi initiates bold plan to expand broadband connectivity across SA Broadband connectivity Moloto added that the delegation also held talks with the Export-Import Bank of China, where the department highlighted the urgent need for increased development financing to support South Africa's digital infrastructure rollout, particularly the expansion of broadband connectivity to remote and disadvantaged areas. 'As part of efforts to increase digital access, the minister visited the headquarters of Chinese technology companies, including Honor and Huawei. 'These engagements formed part of a broader initiative in support of our campaign for smart devices for learners and entrepreneurs,' Moloto said. Affordable devices In February, Malatsi took steps to accelerate access to more affordable smart devices and smartphones. He first mentioned lowering the price of smart devices in October last year when he initiated plans to expand broadband connectivity across South Africa. The country has been stuck in a rut due to limited internet connectivity in rural areas, digital skills, technology and expensive data. Moloto said 'exciting partnerships' were secured during the visit to China, which will be announced in the coming days. ALSO READ: South Africa on track to regulate artificial intelligence Future networks He said delegation also participated in a roundtable hosted by the China Branch of the Brics Institute of Future Networks, which brought together major Chinese ICT firms to explore collaboration on broadband expansion, smart device accessibility and digital skills development. 'The discussions reflected growing international interest in South Africa's digital policy direction and economic potential.' The delegation also attended the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference & High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai. 'These engagements highlighted the rapid pace at which AI is transforming the world and reinforced the urgency for global collaboration in ensuring that AI technologies are inclusive, ethical and development-oriented,' Moloto said. ALSO READ: Another SA neighbour gets Musk's Starlink