As part of efforts to highlight Cyber Security Awareness Month, Vox is providing more value for its business customers by bundling a fibre-to-the-business (FTTB) internet connection with the Vox Cyber Security Bundle, which provides small and medium businesses with a cost-effective set of security solutions.

“South Africa is the 3rd most targeted country in the world as far as cyber attacks are concerned, with the cost of the average cyber attack rising from R3 million last year to R4 million in 2021. It goes without saying that preventative measures are significantly more important now than ever before,” says Richard Frost, Product Head: Endpoint and Network Security at Vox.

Frost points out the frightening fact that many South African organisations do not have the right cyber security tools in places or the skills to manage them. Unprepared workforces are further compounding the problem by providing an additional avenue for cyber criminals to capitalise on, with 95% of breaches starting with a phishing email and 24% of attacks being attributed to human error.

Furthermore, the full enactment of the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA) in June 2021 has placed more responsibility on organisations to safeguard customer data, with those found guilty of negligence being liable to hefty fines and even jail time. All of this means that as far as security is concerned, organisations can no longer afford to take chances.

“The good news, though, is that with Vox, organisations can access both international-standard business security solutions, as well as our training and awareness programmes that ensure your staff will be equipped with the knowledge required to circumnavigate today’s cyber threats,” says Frost.

Managed security solutions for SMBs

According to Frost, many businesses make the mistake of thinking that they are too small to be a target. With large organisations adopting international-standard firewalls and malware protection, cyber criminals are instead choosing to prey on easier targets such as small and medium sized businesses. The recent trend of international governmental breaches are an example of this trend, with smaller entities being used to gather information about the larger organisations involved.

To help small and medium sized businesses mitigate against these risks, Vox has introduced a bundled offering that combines a fibre-to-the-business internet connection with the Vox Cyber Security Bundle, which combines several security products with a managed services offering.

This includes Network Security using Fortinet-based solutions including firewall and optional FortiClient for VPN access; Endpoint Security through antivirus and remote patch management for 20/40 users’ laptops and one server; Email Security using Synaq SecureMail standard with Identity Threat Protection (ITP) and branding; and Backup based on Veeam for one server. Furthermore, the bundle includes managed services, where Vox manages the customers network, endpoint and email security. The services will be offered with SLAs, process flows, ticketing and reporting.

“Customers taking advantage of the bundled offering will also get access to the Vox Cybersecurity Portal that helps with user awareness training and attack simulations. Your employees can either be your greatest asset or your biggest liability when it comes to Cyber Crimes, and our User Awareness Training programmes are designed to circumvent this risk, by empowering and enabling your staff in the fight against cyber crimes,” says Frost.

Frost adds that it’s well documented that fibre on its own presents a distinct security advantage over its predecessors – primarily copper cables in SA – and for good reason: faster connections mean quicker access to the vital elements of your operation and, in the event of a breach, also allow for easier preventative action to address these threats.

“A fibre network essentially allows you to stay ahead of potential threats, giving you access to the latest tools, the best cloud resources and, naturally, the highest-grade security platforms. With Vox, your business is never left wanting, and we’re in your corner from both a fibre and security side,” says Frost.