Aveshan Aiyer Discusses Channel's Role in Anticipatory Cybersecurity
In the rapidly evolving digital age, South Africa is battling a surge in ransomware incidents, with a staggering 90% increase reported recently. Amidst this growing threat, distributors and partners, often referred to as the 'channel', are playing a pivotal role in enhancing the country's national cyber resilience.
Aveshan Aiyer, Channel Manager for Check Point at Westcon-Comstor Southern Africa, acknowledges a gap in the fight against cybercrime. He emphasises that the channel is not just middlemen in purchasing decisions but should offer experience and expertise to improve South Africa's cybersecurity posture.
The channel serves as an extension of cybersecurity providers, offering 24/7 threat monitoring, rapid incident response, and specialized security services tailored to local business needs. This localized expertise is essential for addressing the urgent gaps in AI and cyber risk governance that are still widespread in many South African companies.
Partners understand the specific risk landscape, regulatory requirements, and business priorities within South Africa, enabling them to deliver relevant guidance and build trust with local organisations. This local know-how applied in real time distinguishes effective cybersecurity solutions.
Distributors and partners help businesses move beyond reliance on off-the-shelf tools by advising on policy development, leadership engagement, and incorporation of international frameworks such as ISO 42001 and NIST to build comprehensive AI and cyber resilience strategies.
National cyber resilience depends on collaboration among various sectors, and partners act as conduits that promote a coordinated, sector-wide approach that strengthens overall resilience across industries. They often spearhead education, training, and awareness programs to improve organisational cyber maturity and readiness.
The economic toll of cybercrime in South Africa is estimated at R69 billion annually, which is approximately 1% of the nation's GDP. With the channel's superpower being the ability to transform innovative technologies into practical, scalable strategies, an empowered channel focused on enablement, execution, and long-term outcomes can become a catalyst for national cyber resilience.
However, effective cybersecurity requires ongoing skills development, deeper customer insight, and a co-creation mindset from the channel. Aiyer suggests forming partnerships with organisations that can lead a security rethink, as they have the tools and know-how to respond to threats and design tomorrow's secure operating models.
The channel's value lies in making security real and relevant through proof-of-concept environments, hands-on demos, and collaborative design sessions. ICT distribution involves supporting partners with tools, knowledge, and insights to build contextualized, future-fit security strategies.
South Africa experiences over 3,300 cyberattacks on government systems every week. Partnering with an organisation that has already done the research can be game-changing in South Africa's cybersecurity landscape. An empowered channel, focused on enablement, execution, and long-term outcomes, can help the country navigate this challenging cybersecurity landscape and build a more resilient digital future.
- In the struggle against the escalating ransomware attacks, the channel (distributors and partners) is vital in bolstering South Africa's national cyber resilience.
- Aveshan Aiyer underscores the need for the channel to offer more than just sales, emphasizing expertise and experience to enhance South Africa's cybersecurity posture.
- The channel extends cybersecurity providers' reach, offering 24/7 threat monitoring, quick incident response, and tailored security services to cater to local business needs.
- Partners, with their comprehensive understanding of South Africa's risk landscape, regulations, and business priorities, deliver valuable guidance and build trust with local organizations.
- Distributors and partners assist businesses in transitioning beyond generic tools by advising on policy development, leadership engagement, and incorporating international frameworks like ISO 42001 and NIST to develop comprehensive AI and cybersecurity strategies.
- Strengthening collaboration among various sectors is crucial for national cyber resilience, with partners driving a unified, sector-wide approach that fortifies overall resilience in industries, while spearheading education, training, and awareness programs to improve cyber maturity and readiness.
