Reports indicate phishing was the cause of SA Weather Service ransomware attack

[Daniel Puchert]

Dark clouds over SA Weather Service after phishing leads to ransomware attack

Initial reports indicate that a phishing email led to the devastating ransomware attack that brought the South African Weather Service (SAWS) to a standstill in January 2025, the agency’s CEO, Ishaam Abader, has said.

Abader was giving a report on the agency’s performance to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, together with SAWS chairperson Sandika Daya.

 

[Gordon_R]

TL;DR

The 'cause' isn't relevant IMO. They were caught with their pants down. No disaster recovery plan, and incomplete backups...

 

[longboy]

They weathered the storm so all good according to them.

 

[PCWARITM]

TL;DR

The 'cause' isn't relevant IMO. They were caught with their pants down. No disaster recovery plan, and incomplete backups...

As will more than half the companies out there no doubt. IT security budgets need to be way bigger than they are currently.