Case studies

Real results for real organisations.

Anonymised case studies demonstrating how we help South African businesses reduce risk and strengthen their security posture.

AGRICULTURAL EXPORTER

KZN citrus exporter — POPIA + EU buyer audit

Challenge

A KwaZulu-Natal citrus exporter handling EU buyer data and POPIA-regulated seasonal worker records faced an Information Regulator enquiry after a phishing-led breach exposed roughly 1,800 worker ID numbers. The §22 clock and a parallel EU buyer audit demand both began the same week.

Approach

Senior-led 72-hour forensic engagement, POPIA gap remediation against the eight conditions, and an EU GDPR cross-border addendum (Chapter V transfer mechanism) for the buyer relationship.

Outcome

POPIA §22 notification accepted by the Information Regulator with no enforcement order. EU buyer audit closed favourably. Full POPIA-aligned ISMS in place within 9 weeks; export relationship retained.

JSE-LISTED RETAILER

Mid-cap retail group — ransomware over a public holiday

Challenge

A JSE-listed retail group with 2.8 million loyalty programme members suffered a ransomware incident over a public-holiday weekend. The Information Regulator opened an enforcement file once §22 notification was filed; JSE listing-rules disclosure window running in parallel.

Approach

Senior-led IR coordinated with JSE-listed-issuer SENS disclosure obligations. POPIA forensic timeline produced. Loyalty data recovered from validated immutable backups; integrity attested by independent forensic vendor.

Outcome

No loyalty data exfiltrated (forensically confirmed). JSE SENS announcement issued within the disclosure window. Information Regulator file closed with no fine. Continuing managed security engagement now covers the full loyalty data plane.

MINING & RESOURCES

Platinum miner — OT segmentation & supply chain

Challenge

A platinum producer with operations in two provinces had a flat network architecture inherited from a 2018 expansion — no segmentation between corporate IT and operational technology. An MDR alert flagged reconnaissance against PLC firmware-update servers; estimated production stoppage cost R47M per pit per day.

Approach

OT/IT architectural assessment, micro-segmentation rollout across both sites, vendor remote-access overhaul (jump-host only, MFA-gated), and Joint Standard 2 of 2024 on Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience alignment work for the FSCA-supervised holding entity.

Outcome

Segmentation in place across both sites within 8 weeks. Vendor remote access by jump-host only. No production stoppage. Ongoing OT-MDR engagement; quarterly readiness reviews built into the managed service.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Boutique asset manager — FSCA AI-tooling pre-inspection

Challenge

A boutique asset manager with R8 billion AUM and a FAIS Category II licence expected an FSCA on-site visit driven by AI-tooling questions in recent supervisory dialogues. No documented model-risk framework for the AI-augmented research tooling staff had been using for 14 months.

Approach

AI Usage Audit producing a full tool inventory, then an AI Governance engagement mapped to the FSCA + Prudential Authority joint position on AI in financial services and ISO/IEC 42001 alignment work. FAIS oversight protocols documented for any AI in the advice chain.

Outcome

Full AI inventory delivered. Model-risk framework live. Supervisory dialogue passed without enforcement signal. AI Governance retainer in place; the organisation has since used the framework to win two institutional mandates that required AI governance documentation.

Coming soon

AI engagement case studies

We're publishing the first round of AI Usage Audit and AI Governance engagement anonymised case studies later this quarter. If you're considering an AI engagement and want a peer organisation reference now, get in touch — we'll share what we can off the record.

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