ResearchGate published an article in May of 2018, about the development of Cyber Security Policy and legislative landscape in Latin America and Caribbean states. Here’s a quick summary just for you.
Internet use via mobile devices has grown as an instrument for innovation and entrepreneurship. Initial unawareness of cyber threats and safety issues that arise from technological innovations are diminishing. They are, however, all susceptible to cyber threats for the most part. The reality is that not only are the technologies still emerging but also rapidly changing, so it’s full risk profile is difficult to analyze.
Key points:
- In small economies like the Caribbean, the incidence or statistics for cyber-crime will not be as high as in larger nations. However, Cyber-crime remains a threat to the Caribbean and Latin American region.
- The link between cyber-crime and current challenges such as trafficking in illegal drugs has also escalated the situation in the region with a need for attention to preserve the resources of the Region.
- The emphasis on cyber-crime within the Caribbean imitates the trends seen globally. Larger countries in the region, for example, have tended to be more evident as it relates knowledge and responses to cyber security issues.
- The regional risks are rising. The region’s identified threats include denial of service attacks, distributed denial of service attacks, insider activity, malware, phishing, and spear phishing.
- The experiences with cyberattacks in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados, along with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), were highlighted in the study.
- From analysis of the experiences described in the study, one clear point observed is the importance of collective action and partnership across industries at national, regional, and international levels.
- The study identified the government, and other entities as key stakeholders in the cyber security environment, and their roles in mapping the cyber security landscape in the region.
- Finally, the study highlighted some strategies the government, private sector industries, and civil society could implement to enhance cyber security in the region.
Reference: researchgate.net
Contributed by: Sabrina Shim from Jamaica. Sabrina is a member of the WISC Discord group from the G5 Cyber Security Foundation Ltd. Learn more about WISC (Women in InfoSec Caribbean) at wiscaribbean.org. WISC is a non-profit initiative supporting Caribbean women and girls to develop a career in Information Security.