Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) of South Africa revealed an alarming attempted security breach that compromised the personal information of both clients and CIPC employees. The incident prompted a decisive response, as ICT technicians, alerted by extensive firewall and data protection systems, swiftly shut down specific CIPC systems to mitigate potential damage.
The CIPC expressed gratitude for the diligent efforts of its ICT and information security teams, which successfully isolated and curtailed the compromise. While the relevant systems are now back up and available for processing, the unfortunate consequence is the unauthorized access and exposure of certain personal information. CIPC clients and employees are strongly urged to remain vigilant, especially in monitoring credit card transactions, and to authorize only known and valid transaction requests.
The CIPC is actively investigating the extent of the exposure and assures affected parties that information about the incident will be communicated as soon as possible. Recognizing the critical importance of system availability and information safeguarding, the CIPC apologizes for any inconvenience caused and emphasizes the ongoing efforts to minimize the impact on clients and employees. The incident underscores the growing challenge of data breaches faced by South African organizations, with the Information Regulator receiving over 150 data breach notifications monthly.
