Building trust by trusting less
Namibia’s cybersecurity imperative
In 2024, Namibia recorded over 1.1 million cyber incidents. One major breach alone exposed 626 gigabytes of sensitive data. Globally, cyberattacks rose by 47% in early 2025 - a clear sign that traditional security models are no longer working.The issue isn’t just technical, it’s philosophical. Many organisations still operate under the assumption that internal networks can be trusted. But with remote work, cloud adoption, and interconnected systems, the old perimeter-based model has collapsed.
Modern threats don’t kick down doors; they log in with stolen credentials and move undetected across trusted systems. In one recent case, attackers moved from a low-level account to full network control in hours, due to poor internal controls.
Namibia’s challenge is even greater. A shortage of cybersecurity professionals, outdated infrastructure, and limited threat intelligence sharing leave organisations vulnerable and isolated.
While initiatives like the NAM-CSIRT and the national cybersecurity strategy are steps in the right direction, more collaboration and capacity building are urgently needed.
At Mach 10, we believe in a Zero Trust approach, not because it’s trendy, but because it works. Zero Trust means never assuming anything is safe without verification. It starts with knowing your assets - devices, users, systems - and continues with real-time checks of every access request.
But technology alone isn’t enough. Strong security requires a culture shift. We’ve spent over 25 years working across Namibia, helping businesses embed cybersecurity as a shared responsibility, not just an IT issue. That means building awareness, running tailored phishing simulations, and making security practices part of daily operations.
Some believe effective cybersecurity is out of reach due to cost. But basic defences like patching, strong passwords, network segmentation, and backups, offer more value than expensive tools poorly implemented.
Namibia can rise to meet this challenge. But it requires a united front across government, business, and society. Cybersecurity must be seen not as a cost, but as a key enabler of trust, innovation, and resilience.
At Mach 10, our CyberOps Platform brings together analytics, access control, device monitoring, and vulnerability management, giving Namibian organisations the clarity and tools they need to face tomorrow with confidence.
*Annalize van der Merwe is the managing director of Mach 10.
** Opinion pieces and letters by the public do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial team. The editors reserve the right to abridge original texts. All newspapers of Network Media Hub adhere to the Code of Ethics for Namibian Media, a code established jointly with the Media Ombudsman.