A new digital reckoning: Why SA businesses must consider cybersecurity with their physical security
Modern security systems have the potential to transform entire industries, helping South African businesses protect people, assets and operations. They also play a broader role in critical infrastructure and commercial development. Indeed, local success stories show video surveillance can be leveraged to gain valuable actionable insights and form part of intelligent digital ecosystems.
At the same time, a new challenge for operators has emerged. Security systems may be designed as physical infrastructure, but they are deployed as connected, digital technologies. Survey results show the top reason for replacing legacy technology is to integrate it with new technology. This leads to interconnected systems that deliver greater value.[2] But with that greater value comes greater risk.
Addressing the cybersecurity gap
Modern security deployments are operationally well defined. Network cameras provide a defined area of coverage, footage is subject to specified retention periods and control requirements are well laid out. That level of definition also scales in accordance with regulation like the requirements laid out by the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
But while physical security operations are visible, cybersecurity is often an ‘invisible’ risk. Many legacy systems lack a structured approach to vulnerability management or a clear chain of responsibility. Operators may adhere to network policies and conduct audit trails, but adherence is not always consistent, and responsibility may be spread across different departments or leads.
In short, many South African businesses rely on integrated security systems that, while operationally sound, remain digitally exposed thanks to outdated hardware, or inconsistent or unenforced management policies.
This is a critical gap to address. Cybersecurity is often assumed to fall under information technology (IT), but that relegates security devices to being another batch of network endpoints. Those devices present an integrated platform and thus carry a unique risk profile. Additionally, attempting to ‘bolt on’ security after systems go live is not only difficult; it’s often ineffective. Security must not be bolted on; it must be ‘baked in’.
Finally, the pace of South Africa’s digital transformation hinders the convergence of physical and digital security. Many local organisations work in siloes, with departments and teams only working and coordinating with each other on a case-by-case basis. With limited coordination, and the assumption that cybersecurity is the IT department’s responsibility, systems are not managed as a whole and are therefore left vulnerable.
Security in the IP age
The Allianz Risk Barometer 2026 ranks cyber incidents as the biggest threat to business in South Africa. This was performed across a wide range of industries to better understand how criminals exploit vulnerabilities and leverage business interruption for financial gain. Vulnerabilities include those in connected surveillance systems. Network-connected devices such as cameras are actively probed and exploited, making them an active component of cybercrime risk exposure.
Exposure can also originate from anywhere across security supply chains. Enterprises need to consider all kinds of vulnerabilities, including those that originate from using components from vendors with opaque security standards or poor long-term support cycles.
This matters as organisations continue to prioritise IP-based, cloud-connected devices that integrate into wider enterprise platforms. Today’s security devices generate data, interact with other devices and play an active role in operational decision-making. As a result, cybersecurity can no longer be treated as a separate consideration.
Failing to account for cyber risks, organisations may create an entry point for threat actors. The consequences can be severe and range from data theft to regulatory fines and reputational damage.
Something needs to change, and change must always start at the beginning.
Security is a continuous journey, not a one-stop shop
For security systems to be cybersecure, implementation requires a rethink on the part of all players. Security consultants need to incorporate cybersecurity into system design and specification. Integrators need to consider it during installation, configuration and deployment. End users need to evaluate it based on functionality, compliance and, importantly, long-term ownership.
Long-term maintenance is also now a primary factor to consider. Owning an integrated system involves making a commitment to lifecycle management. It’s about ensuring every device, from the camera on the pole to the server on the rack, is ‘Secure by Design’ and maintained through regular firmware updates and signed software.
Transparency is essential to building trust, including trust in integrated systems. That’s why organisations need to prioritise vendors who treat transparency as a given, issuing notifications about newly discovered vulnerabilities and stipulating end-of-support details so that they know when to decommission and replace a device.
All this does not necessarily require a full industry overhaul, but a change in mindset. Cybersecurity must be considered alongside physical security from the outset. Systems must be treated as interconnected platforms and not isolated tools.
In doing so, South African businesses reshape their relationship with physical security and the trust they place in their systems. The question goes from “Does it work?” to “Can I trust it?”
Being able to answer that in the affirmative, businesses and industries can put their best foot forward and leverage new technologies, systems and solutions for long-term growth and long-lasting success.
