Sophos: ransomware recovery costs South African organisations R17 million on average
A Sophos survey of 135 IT and cybersecurity leaders at South African organisations found the median ransom payment fell 28% to about R5 million, and average recovery costs excluding ransom were above R17 million, down from R21 million (BusinessDay and TimesLIVE, 25 September). Some 58% of those who paid recovered data, down from 71%. Reports differ slightly on the median demand, between R6.8 and R6.9 million. The report is a week old and is included as a reading item.
Ransomware halts hospitals, councils and companies, and recovery costs far exceed the ransom itself.
Back up your files offline and use two-step login. Your employer's weak point can become your data leak.
Falling costs suggest defences are improving.
Even lower figures are large for most South African firms, and the survey only covers organisations that were hit.
The number to remember is R17 million. It is a recovery bill, not a ransom bill.
DailyDrop South Africa edition No. 1 · Morning · MON., OCT. 5, 2026