Experts have called for stronger cyber-security measures to be implemented countrywide, warning that South Africa is the most targeted country in Africa by these attacks – more than 1 000 a week – and that healthcare institutions are increasingly shifting into the crosshairs of the hackers, reports TimesLIVE.
Recent research by Unarine Jerritha Manari, a senior cyber security specialist and researcher in the scientific research, development and innovation sector at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, showed significant vulnerabilities in the country’s healthcare system and highlighted the urgent need for safety and security measures to be reinforced.
Manari said healthcare organisations across the continent experienced an astonishing average of 3 575 cyber attacks per week in 2025, a 38% increase from the previous year.
Research by cyber-security firm Check Point Software Technologies found that in South Africa alone, they face an average of 1 626 these types of attacks each week.
“These threats are becoming increasingly severe as hospitals and medical services grow more digitally connected,” said Manari.
Her Master of Philosophy in IT Governance study, which examined vulnerabilities in connected medical devices and healthcare networks – and offered practical recommendations to strengthen cyber security across the sector – pinpointed several weaknesses, including outdated systems, weak governance structures, inadequate funding and a shortage of skilled cyber security professionals.
“In fact, cyber security in healthcare should be treated as a core patient safety priority, not just an IT concern,” she noted.
The risks are far from theoretical. Between 2022 and 2023, several provincial health departments suffered major ransomware attacks that crippled hospital IT systems, according to Digital Health Africa.
Hospitals were forced to revert to paper-based records, causing delays in surgeries, laboratory results, referrals and emergency response co-ordination.
One of the most significant incidents was in July 2024, when the BlackSuit ransomware group targeted the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS).
The attack disrupted the dissemination of laboratory test results during the mpox outbreak, forcing medical staff to rely on manual communication systems after key sections of the lab network were compromised.
Manari warned that the consequences of these attacks on these facilities extend well beyond data theft.
“A compromise can lead to disruption of critical medical services, delayed or incorrect treatment, manipulation of patient data and even threats to patient safety and life,” she said.
Limpopo-born Manari said the public healthcare sector remains particularly vulnerable because many facilities are under-resourced and continue to rely on ageing technology.
“The private sector is generally in a better position, but outdated systems and a lack of cyber-security skills remain major concerns – as does the shortage of specialised expertise required to manage increasingly complex digital systems,” she said.
A 2024 study published in the SA Medical Journal, titled Cyber attack on the National Health Laboratory Service of South Africa: Implications, Response and Recommendations, found that cyber security has become an essential component of healthcare management in the digital era. The study also noted a sharp increase in these attacks targeting global health institutions.
Manari said secure digital healthcare systems were critical to South Africa’s broader digital economy.
“Patients will not adopt telemedicine platforms they do not trust. Research that strengthens cyber-security governance directly underpins the trust on which digital markets depend.”
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
NHLS targets dented by 2024 cyber attack
Cyber attacks create havoc in state hospitals in SA, and globally
SA has highest percentage of human error healthcare data breaches – report