There was a 42% surge during 2012 in targeted cybercrime attacks compared to the previous year, according to Symantec\u2019s Internet Security Threat Report, Volume 18 (ISTR).<\/p>\n
Designed to steal intellectual property, these targeted cyber-espionage attacks are increasingly hitting the manufacturing sector as well as small businesses, which are the target of 31% of these attacks, Symantec said.<\/p>\n
Small businesses are attractive targets themselves and a way in to ultimately reach larger companies via \u201cwatering hole\u201d techniques. In addition, consumers remain vulnerable to ransom-ware and mobile threats, particularly on the Android platform.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year\u2019s ISTR shows that cybercriminals aren\u2019t slowing down, and they continue to devise new ways to steal information from organisations of all sizes,\u201d said Gordon Love, Symantec\u2019s regional director for Africa.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sophistication of attacks coupled with today\u2019s IT complexities, such as virtualisation, mobility and cloud, require organisations to remain proactive and use \u2018defense-in-depth\u2019 security measures to stay ahead of attacks,\u201d Love said.<\/p>\n
ISTR has ranked South Africa globally in the following categories:<\/p>\n