NEC XON expands services to strengthen cybersecurity across South Africa and beyond

NEC XON, a leading IT security solutions provider, has announced a major step forward in its service offering

The company has expanded its managed services portfolio to include full-scale Fortinet device management, a move already implemented at two of South Africa’s largest clothing retail chains.

This development comes at a critical time, as businesses across South Africa grapple with complex security needs and evolving cyber threats. The new managed service aims to enhance Fortinet performance, reduce system downtime, and deliver a stronger layer of protection.

A recent S&P Global Market Intelligence report presented at RSAC 2025 highlights the increasing reliance on managed security services (MSS). Nearly 29% of organisations now use MSS to support or replace their in-house teams. Meanwhile, 23% are consolidating security resources and 28% are downsizing their security teams – a risky decision amid rising threat levels. Another 37% report no major changes, suggesting stagnation in their security posture.

A South African response to a global challenge

“We are dedicated to providing top-tier support to help businesses stay secure and operational. That’s not just a slogan — it’s a promise South African companies urgently need,” commented Grant Ferreira, regional manager security at NEC XON. “We are very excited to have launched the expansion of our managed services to meet the growing security demands of our customers. With our team of certified experts, we have had great success with the expanded services in the coastal regions of South Africa and are in the process of rolling out the project to the rest of SA and Africa.”

More than just another device

As a certified Fortinet partner, NEC XON is delivering more than just another IT service. What sets this offering apart is the combination of top-tier technology with a people-first approach. Fortinet’s firewalls and secure networking solutions are industry leaders, but it’s the flexibility and support around them that makes the NEC XON approach unique.

With both onsite and remote support options, the company meets customers where they are – whether they need engineers on the ground or hands-off remote monitoring. That adaptability is especially important for businesses in smaller towns or rural regions that may not have the technical resources or budget to manage advanced infrastructure.

NEC XON’s team includes certified engineers skilled in Secure Connectivity, SD-WAN and Security Operations – closing the technical gap with confidence.

Backed by Fortinet’s elite programmes

NEC XON also brings serious credentials to the table, with access to Fortinet’s Engage Preferred Services Partner (EPSP) and Expert Technical Support (ETSP) programs. These designations represent more than vendor recognition – they enable advanced support like in-depth troubleshooting, specialised configuration, and tailored training that clients can rely on.

Cybersecurity with real economic impact

The value of this service goes beyond technology. By helping businesses avoid downtime, prevent breaches and improve operational efficiency, NEC XON is also contributing to a more resilient digital economy.

In South Africa, where energy uncertainty, strained public services and rising risks are the norm, solid cybersecurity remains one of the few controllable aspects of business infrastructure. It is an investment that pays off – not only in business continuity but in trust and confidence.

Card fraud continues to cost issuers and merchants billions each year

Mastercard has launched Account Intelligence Reissuance, an advanced fraud prevention tool designed to streamline the card reissuance process in the Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) region

This new service uses Mastercard’s proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) and extensive network insights to evaluate the risk associated with compromised cards and provide AI-based guidance on whether they should be monitored or replaced.

Card fraud continues to cost issuers and merchants billions each year. To prevent further unauthorised use, issuers typically assess primary account numbers (PANs) for risk and reissue vulnerable cards. This manual approach is often time-consuming and expensive. Mastercard’s Account Intelligence Reissuance simplifies and automates this process, offering a more efficient solution for tackling both physical and digital card skimming.

“At Mastercard, we have developed a comprehensive portfolio of fraud products that offer valuable and advanced insights and data. We are delighted to expand our proposition with Account Intelligence Reissuance that goes one step further by allowing issuers to aggregate data, measure risk and prioritize the most compromised cards for reissuance. Powered by our world-class AI technology, this highly accurate solution will significantly enhance credit card fraud prevention and customer protection efforts across the industry,” said Selin Bahadirli, executive vice-president, Services, EEMEA, Mastercard.

With the rise of digital transactions and the emergence of new types of fraud, Mastercard has continued to advance its technologies to protect stakeholders at every point in the payment process. Its Decision Intelligence platform currently secures over 159 billion transactions annually, and with generative AI improvements, Mastercard enables issuers to more quickly and accurately analyse account, transaction, merchant, and device data to detect and stop fraud in real time.

In Nigeria, the main targets included telecommunications resellers and computing infrastructure providers. (Image source: NETSCOUT)

West Africa’s DDoS threat landscape was dominated by Nigeria and Mali, according to NETSCOUT’s Threat Intelligence Report for July to December 2024, which analyses global attack trends and techniques

Nigeria faced 1,716 attacks in the latter half of 2024, a notable decline from 2,721 incidents in the first six months. Meanwhile, Mali saw a dramatic surge, with attacks soaring from 115 in the first half to 1,637 in the second half of the year.

“Web search portals and all other information services bore the brunt of attacks in Mali, with an astounding average duration of 1,197 minutes per incident,” said Bryan Hamman, NETSCOUT’s regional director for Africa. “This was followed by wired telecommunications carriers, which was also the most targeted industry at a global level during the same period, with more than 2.1 million incidents.”

In Nigeria, the main targets included telecommunications resellers and computing infrastructure providers. Interestingly, beauty salons appeared among the top ten sectors attacked, alongside wired telecommunications carriers, commercial banks, used merchandise retailers, tyre dealers, and household electronics wholesalers. “This shows once again how threat actors adapt their strategies accordingly within different countries to target those industries that are strong in individual sovereign territories,” Hamman explained.

Nigeria also experienced some of the most complex DDoS campaigns in the region, with up to 22 different vendors involved in a single attack, primarily using TCP, DNS amplification, and ICMP flood (Ping flood) methods.

Liberia ranked next with 1,189 attacks, slightly fewer than the 1,515 reported earlier in 2024. The country’s computer systems design services sector was heavily targeted, suffering 360 attacks over six months. DNS amplification was the dominant attack vector, closely followed by STUN amplification.

Ghana recorded a sharp decline in attacks in the second half of 2024, falling to 917 from 4,753 earlier in the year. The ICT sector remained most targeted, including web search portals and information services (317 attacks), wired telecommunications carriers (43), and computing infrastructure providers. Notably, footwear manufacturers were third, enduring 14 attacks during the period.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo entered NETSCOUT’s rankings for the first time, coming in fifth with 879 attacks. Hamman noted, “While the most significant attack peaked at a modest 0.74 Gbps, the complexity was notable – with up to 15 vectors used in a single attack.” Computing infrastructure providers bore the brunt, though one satellite telecommunications attack lasted an exhausting 689 minutes.

Though Cameroon was not the most targeted country with 811 incidents, nor did it experience the most complex attacks, it recorded the highest bandwidth attack in the region at 200.43 Gbps – surpassing Nigeria’s 148.77 Gbps.

Meanwhile, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo faced fewer attacks, with 495, 341, and 329 incidents respectively. Côte d'Ivoire suffered the largest attack among them at 8.66 Gbps, targeting wired telecommunications carriers. Guinea’s wireless telecommunications carriers were most pressured, while telecommunications resellers were the hardest hit in the Republic of the Congo.

“This latest data from NETSCOUT reinforces a critical truth for West Africa: DDoS attacks aren’t just increasing in frequency, but also in intensity and sophistication,” Hamman emphasized. “While nations like Nigeria and Mali face a high volume of incidents, others are experiencing powerful, high-bandwidth attacks that can cripple essential services.

“As noted previously, the ICT sector remains firmly in the crosshairs across the continent in its entirety, making it vital for organisations across the region to prioritise proactive defence strategies, invest in continuous risk assessments and engage in broader cybersecurity collaboration to stay ahead of evolving threats,” he concluded.

Sectigo partners with Altron Security to enhance digital certificate management and ensure secure migrations

Sectigo, a global leader in digital certificates and automated Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM), has entered into a strategic channel partnership with Altron Security, a South African provider of comprehensive identity and digital security solutions

This collaboration enables Altron Security to integrate Sectigo's cloud-native CLM offerings into its existing digital certificate management services, helping mitigate the risks associated with mismanaged certificates. As a result, businesses can enhance their security and future-proof their operations against the challenges posed by quantum technologies.

In addition to expanding their offering, this partnership follows Sectigo’s acquisition of the Entrust public certificate business, which ensures a seamless transition for Entrust customers. With a structured migration plan in place, Sectigo is committed to providing trusted CLM solutions that minimise disruption and guide affected customers through the transition process smoothly.

"We look forward to collaborating with Altron Security as we expand our footprint in South Africa,” said Jairo Fraile, vice-president of global partner sales at Sectigo. “This partnership reinforces our dedication to providing trusted and compliant SSL/TLS certificates and PKI solutions. By working closely with Altron Security, we are ensuring that customers experience a smooth migration process to Sectigo while benefiting from our range of offerings."

As digital certificates become increasingly integral to online security, businesses face the growing challenge of adapting to the shortening lifespan of certificates. The shift from 398-day to 47-day certificate renewal periods demands greater automation in managing Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) environments. Through this partnership, Altron Security is now able to offer Sectigo’s flagship product, the Sectigo Certificate Manager. This solution provides the necessary automation and security to prevent lapses, ensuring businesses remain compliant and secure in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

"We are excited to partner with Sectigo, a globally recognized Certificate Authority renowned for its industry leadership,” said Andrew Whittaker, managing director at Altron Security. “Sectigo's significant presence in the CA/Browser Forum underscores its commitment to upholding the highest security standards, ensuring the delivery of trusted and compliant SSL/TLS certificates. With the shortening of certificate lifespans and increasing security challenges presented by the quantum era, this partnership allows us to provide advanced CLM solutions to the market, empowering businesses to navigate evolving cybersecurity demands confidently.”

This partnership strengthens Altron Security’s position in the digital trust market and supports its broader cybersecurity strategy:

1. Strengthening Market Leadership in Digital Trust:
Altron Security has been a leader in delivering digital trust solutions in South Africa for over 15 years. This new partnership with Sectigo further cements its position at the forefront of the market. It builds upon Altron Security’s existing SSL/TLS certificates and PKI offerings, ensuring they meet the highest industry standards for security and compliance.

2. Expanding Cybersecurity Portfolio:
The integration of Sectigo Certificate Manager enhances Altron Security’s certificate management services, bringing deeper automation and scalability. This allows businesses to reduce operational strain, mitigate risks, and maintain compliance with increasingly complex cybersecurity requirements.

3. Enhancing Customer Experience & Trust:
The partnership presents a significant opportunity for Altron Security to strengthen its relationships with customers, especially during the transition from Entrust to Sectigo. By ensuring a smooth migration process and offering long-term stability through Sectigo’s trusted certificate authority services, Altron Security continues to provide reliable, scalable, and secure digital solutions that cater to a wide range of industries.

With this strategic partnership, Sectigo and Altron Security are well-positioned to meet the growing demand for digital certificate management solutions, offering businesses the tools needed to stay secure and compliant in a rapidly changing digital landscape.