The digital transformation of businesses means better insights, improved efficiency, fewer errors, and opportunities such as eCommerce and remote work. All this progress also means companies need to prioritise cybersecurity and build digital trust.

Why is this important? Because recent research indicates that the South African economy loses R2.2-billion per year at the hands of cyber criminals. According to forensic experts, the country is also on the brink of becoming the cybercrime capital of Africa, News 24 reports. A sluggish approach to data protection is therefore detrimental to any company’s digital efforts.

In this article we explore the top three strategies businesses need to employ to build digital trust internally and externally and why it is important to do so.

CONTENTS:

1. What is cybersecurity?
2. What is digital trust?
3. 3 Strategies to enhance cybersecurity and build digital trust:
1. Invest in cybersecurity policies, processes, and programmes.
2. Employ a cybersecurity specialist or team.
3. Prioritise cybersecurity training.

 

What is cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the process of protecting a business’ data from cyber criminals. The process involves various policies and programmes to help you deter, detect, and block online threats and create awareness throughout the entire company.

 

What is digital trust?

Digital trust is the level of confidence customers have in your brand and their eagerness to do business with you online based on this trust. You can build digital trust by communicating what you are using their data for and highlighting the security measures you have in place to safeguard that data. Added to this, a smooth user-experience with fast, secure, and reliable website hosting helps to improve this trust.

 



 

3 Strategies to enhance cybersecurity and build digital trust:

1. Invest in cybersecurity policies, processes, and programmes.
It is crucial that you have the right policies, processes, and programmes in place to safely store the data you are collecting. Antivirus, firewalls, VPNs, email filtering, data encryption and vulnerability scanning are some of the solutions you can implement. You also need to draw up and follow a strict cybersecurity policy (regulated by the POPIA Act) which will guide the various internal processes you need to conduct when working with, and managing, customers’ data.

2. Employ a cybersecurity specialist or team.
While cybersecurity is the responsibility of every person in the company, you need a specialist, or a team of specialists, that can take ownership of all the “backend” security measures and lead all training initiatives. This person / team must track intrusion rates and response times to ensure that the policy, processes, and programmes implemented remain relevant and updated.

3. Prioritise cybersecurity training.
Every employee with access to the server can be a potential liability for your company.
It is therefore important to implement an ongoing cybersecurity awareness programme to train and empower employees on the type of threats that they can be exposed to.

 

KEY TAKE-AWAYS:

1. Implementing cybersecurity strategies will help prevent attacks and avoid financial implications and operational downtime.
2. Cybersecurity measures help to build digital trust in your brand.
3. Digital trust is necessary to boost confidence in your company’s ability to keep customer data safe.

 

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Chantel Venter
Chantél Venter is a creative writer, strategic thinker, and a serious gesticulator. She’s passionate about storytelling, small businesses and bringing color to the world ­– be it through her words or wardrobe.
She holds a four-year degree in Business and Mass Media Communication and Journalism. She’s been a copywriter and editor for the technology, insurance and architecture industries since 2007 and believes anybody can run a small business successfully. She therefore enjoys finding and sharing the best and most practical tips for this purpose.