“Many Zimbabweans not aware of data protection, privacy rights”

A significant number of Zimbabweans are still not aware of data protection and their privacy rights, at a time cyber security threats are on the increase resulting in financial loss and data breaches.

The rising cybercrime in Zimbabwe prompted the Government to formally enact the Data Protection Act [Chapter 11:24] on December 3, 2021.

However, despite this focus, a recent Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) survey, shows that 80 percent of respondents still do not understand what companies do with their personal information.

While recent developments in technology, coupled with the increasing sophistication of cybercriminals, have made data protection a top priority for businesses in Zimbabwe and worldwide, it remains important for industry role-players to develop and share solutions to this common challenge.

According to Liquid Zimbabwe, this is no longer about compliance, but a fundamental aspect of responsible business operations in the digital age.

The firm further highlighted that as organisations and individuals increasingly depend on cloud-based platforms such as Microsoft 365, for instance, there is a need to recognise the ever-present data security risks and implement suitable safeguards to defend sensitive information.

Through webinars such as the recent ‘Safeguarding Your Business – Critical Data in Microsoft 365’, hosted by Liquid Zimbabwe, industry specialists shared their expertise and insights on this important topic and provided actionable strategies for businesses looking to enhance their data protection measures.

“The aim is to empower businesses with the information needed to make educated choices about data protection and to cultivate a culture of data security. The consequences of cybercrime can be devastating for a business.

“This includes financial losses, loss of sensitive data, damage to reputation and legal consequences. In addition to being vigilant to potential threats, cyber security solutions offered by companies like Liquid are designed to ensure that companies continue operating secure in the knowledge that their data and systems are protected,” said Liquid Zimbabwe.

With over 500 million internet users in Africa, and cyber threats becoming increasingly sophisticated, Liquid further highlighted that businesses can no longer afford to be merely reactive in their approach to security.

For example, with the influx of smartphones for work purposes, including accessing Microsoft 365 account to check emails, schedule meetings, and access documents on the go, phishing emails, disguised as legitimate messages, unknowingly grant criminals access.

With this access, cybercriminals can potentially steal sensitive business information, such as client data, financial records and intellectual property.

As such, Liquid has suggested a number of safeguards such as security training for personnel to limit vulnerabilities, encryption and use of multi-factor authentication.

“It is vital for organisations to control access to sensitive information. This extends to users and devices that are able to access certain types of information, levels of access and download permission and protocols for sharing,” said Liquid.-ebusinessweekly