Dominican Republic receives fewer cyber attacks this year compared to 2022

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has demonstrated increased strength in cybersecurity in recent years, resulting in a significant reduction in cyberattacks during the first half of 2023 compared to similar periods in 2022 and 2021, according to the latest report from FortiGuard Labs on the Global Threat Panorama in Latin America.

The report indicates that the Dominican Republic faced around 470 million attempted cyberattacks in the first half of 2023, whereas in 2022, there were approximately 5 billion incidents, and in 2021, the country experienced about 2.2 billion attempted cyberattacks.

FortiGuard Labs is an American research and intelligence organization that annually publishes reports on the cybersecurity behavior of nations worldwide. According to the Global Cybercrime Index, which encompasses 93 countries, the Dominican Republic is ranked 48th among the nations most targeted by cybercrimes. It surpasses countries such as Paraguay, the Philippines, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Indonesia, and Belarus.

The report highlights that the factors contributing to cybercrimes may vary from one country to another, but some are common across all nations. Phishing and data leaks are identified as the most prevalent cyber threats.

In response to these growing cyber threats, many countries have developed robust cybersecurity programs and enacted laws to combat cybercrime and protect against digital dangers.

The Dominican Republic has a cybersecurity bill under consideration, which has passed two readings in the Senate but has yet to be scheduled for discussion in the Chamber of Deputies. This bill aims to strengthen cybersecurity within the country.

The Ministry of the Presidency, responsible for managing the Cybersecurity Observatory, reported that from 2020 to August 2022, approximately 18 public entities in the Dominican Republic were impacted by cyberattacks. These institutions include the Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD), the General Directorate of Budget, the General Directorate of Migration (DGM), and the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel), among others.