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Mustek has hired external forensic experts to assess the extent of a recent cyberattack at one of its subsidiaries, Rectron.“Rectron became aware of the incident on July 15 and immediately activated its incident response and business continuity procedures,” Mutek said in a statement on Wednesday.The attack affected “certain information technology systems and operations, in terms of which a third party unlawfully accessed certain data of Rectron, the extent of which is being determined”.Founded in 1995, Rectron supplies software, networking, data centre solutions, surveillance, and computer hardware to a network of resellers across Southern Africa.Rectron has notified the Information Regulator of the breach, which did not affect any of Mustek’s other portfolio companies or business units. “The investigation remains ongoing, and the company is working closely with Rectron to establish the nature, scope and impact of the incident,” Mustek said.The disclosure highlights a shift in reporting standards for cyberattacks and data breaches. Fearing reputational damage, organisations in South Africa have generally been unwilling to disclose how much has been lost through cyber breaches or to admit when they do take place.According to the Allianz Risk Barometer, cyber incidents — including ransomware attacks, data breaches and IT outages — are now the top global business risk. A decade ago, only 12% of global respondents cited cyberattacks as a big concern. In 2025, that number surged to 38%.Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point Software Technologies recently reported that South African businesses, particularly those in the corporate sector, each face 1,863 attacks per organisation per week. Valued at about R874m on the JSE, Mustek is an assembler and distributor of information and communications technology products. The company was established in 1987. Its brand portfolio includes Acer, Asus, Samsung and Lenovo. It also owns and operates the Mecer brand of computing products.Business Day
