tech news
South Africa Ranked as 3rd Most Targeted Country by Ransomware
Over the last few years, the number of users encountering targeted ransomware – malware used to extort money from high-profile targets, such as corporations, government agencies, and municipal organisations – increased by 767%. This increase in targeted ransomware occurred alongside a 29% decrease in the overall number of users affected by any kind of ransomware, with WannaCry still the most frequently encountered family. These are among the most important findings in Kaspersky’s recent report on the ransomware landscape from 2019-2020. The ransomware threat – when attackers encrypt private information and hold it to ransom – became mainstream news in the 2010s following large-scale outbreaks, such as WannaCry and Cryptolocker. They targeted tens of thousands of users and often requested r...
Microsoft Teams Reaches to 145 million Daily Active Users
Sourced from Tech Republic. Microsoft Teams has exploded in popularity since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent remote work exodus. Millions of people have brought their offices home with them, and with that, they’ve turned to Microsoft Teams. In fact, more than 145 million Daily Active Users have turned to MS Teams to be exact. #MicrosoftTeams now 145 million daily active users 🙏💜 – thank you to customers, partners, and team — Jeff Teper (@jeffteper) April 27, 2021 According to The Verge, at the beginning of the pandemic, Microsoft had around 32 million daily active users of Microsoft Teams. That jumped to 75 million in a matter of weeks, and these numbers have more than doubled since even the early days of the pandemic. /* custom css */ .t...
Will an eCommerce Boom Benefit South African Consumers?
The acceleration of eCommerce as the global COVID-19 pandemic revolutionises buying trends is giving rise to exciting new developments in the financial technology industry. According to research by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), eCommerce’s share of global retail trade grew from 14% in 2019 to about 17% in 2020. And the phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down. “Businesses and consumers who were able to ‘go digital’ have helped mitigate the economic downturn caused by the pandemic,” says UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General Isabelle Durant. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_7e3.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_7e3.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } “But they have also sped up a digital transition that will have lasting impacts on our societies and daily live...
Should African Governments Digitise to be Innovative, Inclusive and Resilient?
Sourced from Redbubble and iStock. It’s been said before, but it bears repeating – the COVID-19 pandemic offers Africa the chance to leapfrog development through digitisation, and potentially position itself as a global digital powerhouse. And while the private sector has an important role to play in this development, governments across Africa have a critical role to play in enabling digitisation, through infrastructure development, but also in digitising their own systems and processes and by creating an enabling environment using regulatory and legal tools. Developments such as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) reinforce the urgent need for governments to digitise to enable not just trade, but positive economic growth across the continent. In its report Reopening and ...
Safaricom Completes Services Upgrade
Sourced from Tech Weez. Safaricom has introduced updates to its airtime top-up, sim swap, tariff migration and activation of new lines services. The updates are expected to increase the telco’s capacity for future innovations. In a tweet, Safaricom says that M-Pesa, calls, data and SMS will all be operational. Customer Notice on Service Upgrade for Saturday 24th April 2021. pic.twitter.com/NCo9j9PUGQ — Safaricom PLC (@SafaricomPLC) April 23, 2021 Safaricom Forced to Split Dividend Payouts by CBK The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has pressured Safaricom into dividing its dividend payouts in order to “shield the weakening shilling when the telecommunications firm seeks dollars for repatriation to foreign investors”, reports Business Daily. Kenya’s local currency has faced immense pressure...
Security and Service Assurance Must Rule Financial Services as Threat Actors Remain Relentless
Risna Steenkamp, General Manager: ESM Division at Networks Unlimited Africa The rise of the pandemic last year meant that corporates around the globe had to embrace a highly dispersed, virtualised environment to keep the wheels of business turning. This is now changing the way that banks need to move forward, with both their security as well as their service assurance. So says Darren Anstee, Chief Technology Officer for security at NETSCOUT, a leading global provider of service assurance, security and business analytics. He explains that, at the start of 2020, digital transformation in the financial services sector was already well underway, and the intervening year has only accelerated this transformation. Writing in a recent blog, he notes that, “The COVID-19 lockdown shut branches, forc...
MTN Bids for Ethiopian Telco Licence Alongside Vodacom and Safaricom
MTN Group has reportedly made a bid for an Ethiopian telecommunications licence alongside Vodacom Group and Safaricom. Finance ministry adviser, Brook Taye says that the consortium of bids is led by Safaricom. “We always wanted quality providers and this is what we have received,” adds Taye. “These are two African giants — the Safaricom-led consortium and MTN — either one or two of the operators will get a licence in Ethiopia.” Kenya’s geographical proximity to Ethiopia is expected to be one reason why Safaricom leads the consortium. “I think it will be a very good exposure to Safaricom from the perspective of geographical closeness on the one perspective, but also giving Safaricom additional exposure to more growth areas,” says Vodacom’s chief executive, Shameel Joosub. In an interview wi...
Acer Introduces New Chromebook 311 Features
Acer has unveiled a range of new features for the Chromebook 311. The ultraportable Acer Chromebook 311 is designed for classes, projects, and everyday activities. Weighing in at only 1kg, the Chromebook combines extreme portability with an ARM Octa-Core processor – ensuring it has enough power for up to 15 hours of use throughout the day. The device offers complete connectivity with a fully functional USB-C port, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 to easily connect to multiple devices at the same time. The laptop has an integrated 720p HDR wide-view webcam for crystal clear video calls in Google Meet. With all the advantages offered by Chrome OS such as quicker boot times, an easy-to-use interface, built-in malware protection and access to millions of Android apps on Google Play or to ...
5 Reasons to Love the Huawei Mate40 Pro
Mobile devices have become integral to everyone’s lives and because of this, it is crucial that our smartphones are safe and secure. While these devices offer us instant connectivity to the world around us, we can’t ignore the ugly side of this life, which is cybercrime. Here are five ways the Huawei Mate40 Pro ensures data is safe and secure: 1. Comprehensive privacy features Based on the Trusted Execution Environment (TEE), the Huawei Mate40 Pro bolsters the security of the device in various usage scenarios. It’s like a trusted virtual safe for personal data. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_6ab.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_6ab.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } 2. Highest security certification level When it comes to privacy and security, Huawei’s EMUI 11 operating system has alw...
Airtel Africa Refutes Plans to Exit Kenyan Market
Sourced from Comms MEA Airtel Africa has denied reports that it plans to halt operations in Kenya. The rumours were reported by Techweez after Prasanta Das Sarmato, CEO of Airtel Kenya, assessed the viability of the company after The National ICT Policy 2019 was signed. “Equity Participation, a clause in the policy states that only companies with at least 30% substantive Kenyan ownership, either corporate or individual will be licensed to provide ICT services.” The telco, however, has said that it would not be leaving the Kenyan market – “we remain committed to delivering quality and value for money products and services to all our customers whilst ensuring effective, uninterrupted communication is achieved across the entire country.” Airtel goes on to say that it would cont...
How to Use and Monetise Data
Data and data analytics? Big business. We generate a massive amount of information every day, sourced via the Internet of (Every)Thing(s), GPS trackers, fitness wearables, software-as-a-service, web content and social media. This information can be analysed computationally to reveal patterns, trends and associations; yielding outputs with a multitude of uses. For example, we can use it to predict trends and patterns, find the most lucrative opportunities, and manage our time and resources more effectively. But how does intellectual property (IP) law protect data, enabling it to be monetised? And what should businesses be aware of, as they grow increasingly dependent on data? Copyright and common law /* custom css */ .tdi_3_628.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_628.td-a-rec-img img{ m...
YouTube Creators Can Now Change Their Channel Names
Image sourced from Variety YouTube has announced that it’ll now be easier for creators to change their name and profile picture on channels. “Until now, creators had to change their name and icon for their entire Google account — so their name on YouTube would be the same name they send emails from in Gmail,” reports The Verge. “That didn’t necessarily make sense from a branding or professional perspective, and the new system should offer a bit more flexibility for creators who might prefer to send emails under their actual name instead of their channel name.” /* custom css */ .tdi_3_087.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_087.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } There is one catch, however, creators with a verification badge will have to reapply if they decide to change their name....
