In an increasingly digitised world, South African firms face a mounting challenge to protect themselves against cyber threats. According to Interpol's African Cyber Threat Assessment Report, almost 220 million email threats were detected in South Africa in 2021 and since then, this figure has continued to rise, costing the country billions a year in losses. Furthermore, there are an estimated 52 victims of cybercrime per one million internet users in the country. That is the 6th highest in the world.

Globally, cybercrime is also trending upward. According to a Logitech white paper, 81% of global organisations experienced increased cybersecurity-related activity, with 79% experiencing downtime due to a cyber incident. Working in a hybrid environment only increases those risks which is why it is imperative that organisations invest in equipment that creates secure connections between wireless peripherals to help mitigate cyber incidents.

Securing your wireless peripherals is critical in today's digital landscape, yet it is a facet we often fail to notice. These peripheral devices, ranging from keyboards and mice to printers and cameras, can serve as potential gateways for hackers to infiltrate your network and compromise sensitive data. It is imperative to recognise that protecting your wireless peripherals is as crucial as safeguarding our primary devices. By reinforcing the layers of defence needed to fortify our networks against the ever-looming threats of the modern age.

Charis Nicholas, Head of High Touch End User Video Collaboration-South and Southern Africa at Logitech says, “Wireless peripherals are often overlooked when organisations think about their overall security infrastructure, but this can leave cracks in a company’s proverbial armour. By securing your wireless peripherals you make it significantly harder to fall victim to attacks.”

It is time to embrace a proactive mindset

South African firms must shift from reactive to proactive cybersecurity approaches. An often-overlooked facet of a comprehensive cybersecurity framework is wireless peripherals, especially in a hybrid work set-up. To help prevent wireless mice and keyboards from becoming compromised, IT teams must ensure that the connections used by these devices are as secure as possible.

Nicholas says, “Making sure all devices are up to date on firmware and that the connections they establish are encrypted is crucial.”

She suggests that devices that leverage Bluetooth® should use a connection that utilises Security Mode 1, Level 4 (Secure Connections Only mode), which is FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) compliant. For devices that connect via a USB dongle, look for an anti-rollback feature for device firmware upgrades (DFUs) that are based on security.

Remember to Bolt the proverbial backdoor

Robust network and endpoint security measures are vital in the face of evolving cyber threats. Simple solutions like the Logi Bolt can help prevent Man-In-The-Middle (MITM) attacks, eavesdropping, injection and help secure your wireless connections for peripherals. This technology is fully encrypted and FIPS compliant and ensures that a Logi Bolt wireless product and the Logi Bolt USB receiver can only communicate with one another.

Ultimately, working in a hybrid environment should not come at the cost of your security. Nor should enhancing security mean compromising choice, comfort, and productivity. It does not have to be either or. By investing in Logitech for Business solutions like the Logi Bolt, employees and their organisations can benefit from the best of both worlds – secure connections and a choice of peripherals to suit their needs.