Sibanye-Stillwater hit by global cyber attack, limited disruption reported

Sibanye-Stillwater, the JSE-listed multinational mining and metals processing group, has experienced a cyber attack impacting its IT systems globally. The company announced the incident today, detailing that immediate containment measures were enacted to isolate affected systems and safeguard data.

"Upon discovering the incident, we promptly initiated containment measures in line with our incident response plan," the company stated. "We are committed to addressing the cyber attack and working towards full remediation."

While the investigation is ongoing, Sibanye-Stillwater noted limited disruption to its global operations. The company has also voluntarily reported the incident to relevant regulators and will provide further updates as necessary.

The cyber attack has notably affected operations at the Sibanye Stillwater mining facilities in Montana, USA. Some computer systems were down, impacting smelter operations in Columbus due to non-functional automated systems. However, operations are beginning to resume, and employees remain on the job.

This incident highlights a growing trend of cyber attacks targeting South African organizations. The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure recently disclosed that cyber criminals looted R300 million from the ministry over the past decade. According to research by cybersecurity firm Surfshark, South Africa ranks fifth globally in cyber crime density.