Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking and security, is launching a Point of Presence (PoP) for cloud-delivered security services in South Africa. The PoP is part of Cisco’s ongoing efforts to enhance service availability and security capabilities in the country.
“At a time when cybersecurity is one of the top concerns of every business and public sector leader, our goal is to provide organizations with advanced protection and help them operate more securely in an increasingly digital landscape,” said, Smangele Nkosi, General Manager, Cisco South Africa.
The PoP consists of multiple redundant data centers for high availability. It is carrier-neutral and offers organizations of all sizes direct access to Cisco’s cloud-hosted security services.
Helping Organizations Get Ready for Today’s Security Threats
To enable secure and seamless access to necessary applications and resources, organizations must transition from complex, outdated security tools that were not designed for today’s distributed work environments. Cisco Secure Access automates connectivity decisions for the Internet, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), and private applications, reducing complexity and enhancing productivity.
Fady Younes, Managing Director, Cybersecurity, Cisco Middle East and Africa, commented, “Threats are not only becoming more frequent but also increasingly sophisticated. Cisco recognizes the importance of implementing modern cybersecurity measures that significantly reduce risk while meeting the needs of both end-users and IT staff. The new Point of Presence for Cisco’s converged cloud security Secure Service Edge (SSE) solution is founded on zero-trust principles. This solution offers our customers seamless, transparent, and secure access from any device to any location. It is designed to provide a frictionless end-user experience, enhance security with granular controls, and simplified IT operations.”
Cybersecurity Readiness in South Africa
According to the Cisco Cybersecurity Readiness Index, South Africa is unprepared for today’s security threats. Only 5% of companies were ranked at the ‘mature’ level of readiness needed to be resilient against modern cyber security risks, while 73% reported that they expect a cybersecurity incident could disrupt their business in the next 12 to 24 months. Additionally, only 31% of companies feel very confident that they will be able to defend against a cyberattack with their current infrastructure.
