In today's hyperconnected age, cybersecurity is no longer optional – it's mandatory. Dangerous breaches in the Global North in 2025 have exposed catastrophic vulnerabilities that should not be ignored. For the Global South, these events are more than headlines – they are an urgent wake-up call. This article highlights three major violations and offers strategic lessons that every developing country should adopt immediately to protect their digital sovereignty.
Harrods retail data breach (UK)
In September 2025, luxury retailer Harrods suffered a data breach, exposing 430,000 customer records. The breach was attributed to vulnerabilities in third-party systems and inadequate encryption protocols. This incident resulted in reputational damage and potential regulatory penalties, underscoring the importance of strong vendor management and data security practices.
Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office (USA)
Also in September 2025, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office experienced a ransomware attack that disrupted its website, email, and phone systems for two weeks. The agency refused to pay the ransom and managed to obtain partial restitution. This breach highlighted the risks posed by legacy systems and the need for resilient public sector infrastructure.
Google Salesforce Database Breach (USA)
In August 2025, a social engineering attack targeted Google's Salesforce database by impersonating IT employees. The breach exposed business customer data, leading to large-scale phishing and vishing scams. Warnings were issued to 2.5 billion Gmail users, emphasizing the constant threat of human error and the need for cybersecurity awareness.
Lessons and solutions for the Global South
Cybersecurity in the Global South demands urgent resiliency, talent investment and strategic collaboration. Following the major breaches of 2025, developing countries must learn from the failures of the Global North and act decisively to strengthen their digital security. This piece offers five important lessons and solutions for national preparedness.
A: Strengthen third-party risk management
In today's volatile digital landscape, the greatest threats to national cybersecurity often lie beyond the firewall. Many of the most serious breaches in recent years have originated not from internal systems, but from compromised third-party platforms and vendors. For the Global South, where digital ecosystems are rapidly expanding and partnerships are growing, this external vulnerability demands urgent attention.
Relying on mere trust is no longer acceptable—verification must become standard practice. Every vendor, contractor and service provider must be subject to rigorous cybersecurity scrutiny. Contracts should be strengthened with enforceable clauses that mandate breach reporting, outline liability and demand compliance with national security protocols. Cybersecurity should be built into procurement processes, not treated as an afterthought.
To institutionalize this vigilance, developing countries must establish strong national frameworks for third-party risk assessment. These frameworks should classify vendors based on risk level, enforce continuous monitoring, and require cyber insurance for high-risk activities. Without such measures, external partners become open to exploitation.
The Global South must lead with strategic foresight, not reactive regret. By asserting control over third-party relationships and embedding cybersecurity into every layer of engagement, nations can turn external risk into a pillar of digital resilience.
Also read: Embracing the dynamics of cyber security in the digital age
Two: Invest in Cybersecurity Awareness and Training
In the field of cybersecurity, technology may falter – but human error remains the most exploitable vulnerability. Social engineering and phishing attacks dominate as the preferred entry points for cybercriminals who prey on trust, distraction, and ignorance. No firewall can protect against misinformed clicks or poorly handled emails.
For the Global South, where digital literacy varies widely and cyber hygiene is often ignored, this threat demands a national response. Upgrading the system is not enough; The mind should be strong.
Governments should launch sustained, high-impact awareness campaigns that educate citizens, public servants and small business owners about fraud tactics and protocols to protect against.
Mandatory cyber security training should become standard for all public sector employees and SMEs. This training should be practical, scenario-based, and regularly updated to reflect emerging threats. From identifying suspicious links to reporting anomalies, everyone must be equipped to act as a frontline defender.
Cyber security is not just a technical discipline – it is a civic responsibility. By confronting the human factor with strategic education and relentless awareness, the Global South can transform its greatest weakness into a formidable strength.
Three: Building resilient public sector infrastructure
Government agencies are increasingly under siege – not because they are weak, but because their systems are outdated. Aging infrastructure, obsolete software, and neglected patch cycles have turned public institutions into prime targets for cybercriminals and hostile actors. In the Global South, where digital transformation is still unfolding, this vulnerability is both a national risk and a strategic opportunity.
Modernization of public IT infrastructure should be considered a matter of national security. Ministries, departments and agencies will have to transition from reactive maintenance to proactive resilience. This means replacing legacy systems, adopting cloud-native architecture, and incorporating cybersecurity into every layer of digital governance.
It is equally important to enforce strict patch management policies. Vulnerabilities must be identified and addressed rapidly – before adversaries can exploit them. Automated patching, real-time monitoring and accountability frameworks should become standard practice at all levels of government.
The digital backbone of a nation cannot afford to be weakened. By investing boldly in infrastructure renewal and implementing disciplined cyber hygiene, the Global South can transform its public sector from an easy target to a stronghold.
Four: Addressing corruption in IT procurement
Cyber security cannot thrive in an environment filled with corruption and compromise. The widespread use of pirated software and the persistence of opaque procurement practices have become silent inhibitors of national digital resilience. These vulnerabilities not only expose systems to malware and backdoors but also destroy public trust and institutional credibility.
For the Global South, this is a call to action. Governments must enforce transparency and accountability at every stage of the digital supply chain. Anti-corruption audits should be regular, rigorous, and powerful to hold both public officials and private contractors accountable. Procurement processes should be digitalised, traceable and subject to independent oversight.
It is equally important to promote secure, community-tested open-source alternatives. These solutions provide not only cost efficiency but also greater transparency, adaptability, and security assurance – provided they are implemented with proper governance and support.
Cyber security is not just a technical challenge; This is a test of honesty. By rooting out corruption and rejecting piracy, the Global South can build a digital future based on trust, resilience and national dignity.
Five: Foster International Partnership
Cybersecurity is a global struggle, and isolation is a liability. For many countries in the Global South, limited local expertise and limited resources have hindered the development of resilient digital security. Yet this gap is not insurmountable – it can be bridged through bold, strategic cooperation.
Partnering with institutions in the Global North is not a sign of weakness; It is a symbol of intelligence. Joint training programmes, intelligence sharing agreements and coordinated incident response exercises should become standard practice. These partnerships provide access to cutting-edge knowledge, real-time threat data, and proven protocols that can accelerate national preparedness.
Furthermore, collaboration must be structured, reciprocal, and mission-driven. The Global South should not simply receive support – it should contribute insights, shape regional strategies and build indigenous capacity through every engagement. Cyber security sovereignty is not achieved by standing alone, but by standing together.
By building credible alliances and investing in shared resilience, developing countries can turn disadvantages into strengths and emerge as formidable actors in the global cyber arena.
1. Develop National Cyber Security Strategies
Uncoordinated efforts give rise to insecurity. Across the Global South, cybersecurity initiatives often suffer from fragmentation – isolated programs, unclear mandates, and inconsistent enforcement. The result is a stretched security network that fails to respond to coordinated threats. In an era of increasing digital warfare, such inconsistency is a liability that no country can afford.
To combat this, governments must establish and implement cohesive national cybersecurity strategies.
These strategies should be more than policy documents – they should be living frameworks with clearly defined roles, sustainable funding and measurable performance indicators. Ministries, agencies and private sector actors should work under an integrated approach guided by national priorities and bound by shared accountability.
Cyber security cannot be turned off. It should be integrated into national development plans, budgetary frameworks and institutional mandates. Success should be tracked not by intentions, but by results – reduced violation rates, improved response times, and increased public trust.
The Global South must lead with clarity, coordination and conviction. By creating integrated strategies and implementing them with discipline, nations can transform fragmented efforts into a formidable shield of digital resilience.
conclusion
In an era where cyber threats transcend borders, the Global South must move forward with clarity, conviction and coordinated action. Fragmented efforts, legacy systems, and uncontrolled vulnerabilities can no longer be tolerated. By implementing national strategies, investing in talent, combating corruption, and building global alliances, developing countries can transform digital weakness into stronger resilience. Cybersecurity is not a luxury – it is a sovereign imperative. The time to act is now.
Ademola is the first Professor of Cyber Security and Information Technology Management in Africa, Chartered Manager, UK Digital Journalist, Strategic Advisor and Prophet Mobilizer for National Transformation, and General Evangelist of CAC Nigeria and Overseas.
