Cybersecurity Issues and Solutions Within the South African Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

This systematic literature review paper presents the main cybersecurity issues and their challenges within theSmall and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa. The SME’s play a very crucial role in the growth of thecountry’s economy and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, following the global pandemic, the economy has becomeincreasingly dependent on technology as a driver in different sectors. With the rapid adoption of technology, SMEsconstantly face significant cybersecurity issues and challenges that regularly demand proactive and effective measures.These measures guard against exposure to sophisticated cyber-attacks. This study examines the state of cybersecuritywithin South African SMEs by assessing the effective use of cybersecurity measures, exploring the extent of theirimplementation, and identifying best practices to strengthen cyber resilience within these SMEs. To achieve this aim, asystematic literature review is conducted to examine high-quality peer-reviewed journals from 2021 to July 2025, providingmore insight into the issues associated with cybersecurity in SMEs. Results highlight the vulnerability of SMEs to variouscyber threats, including phishing, insider threats, and ransomware. The lack of awareness among employees, inadequatecybersecurity measures, limited resources, the shortage of professional experts, and the absence of effective measuresspecifically tailored to the needs of SMEs. Additionally, the mitigation strategies emphasize the adoption of robust securitymeasures that are specifically tailored to the needs of SMEs. To enhance cyber resilience, this study also recommends theuse of cybersecurity measures tailored to SMEs, encouraging employee education training programs, and the creation ofreliable strategies.