South Africa has experienced no fewer than four significant data
breaches involving consumer's personal information held by
businesses, in the preceding ten months alone. There is currently
no legislation in effect in South Africa which compels a business
to disclose data breaches to any authority or to the persons
affected thereby, meaning there could well be other instances of
data breaches that have simply not been brought to the public's
attention.
These leaks of personal information have highlighted the need
for robust cyber security systems, particularly when sensitive
personal information is held by a business. Unfortunately, even the
most advanced of cyber security systems are susceptible to hacking,
provided cybercriminals are given enough time and resources. It is
therefore important to know what the law requires in the event of a
security compromise.
