Dominican bank launches major security push, targeting fake news and cyber threats

Santo Domingo.- Banco Popular Dominicano (BPD) is taking an aggressive, public-facing approach to digital defense this October, dedicating its Cybersecurity Awareness Month to a broad education campaign that includes journalists, students, and small businesses. The initiative is a sharp move to foster a culture of prevention across key sectors of the Dominican economy.

The BPD kicked off its campaign with a specialized webinar for media professionals titled “Cybersecurity for journalists: how to protect your work and avoid spreading fake news.” The session, led by Diego Laverde, vice president of information security at BPD, focused on the immediate digital threats faced by reporters.

These risks include identity theft, social engineering attacks (like malware, smishing, and phishing), and the growing challenge of AI-supported disinformation and hoaxes. The bank noted that the training is critical for all media professionals, contributing to a vital culture of verification in the entire ecosystem.

From newsrooms to universities: a month of action

The bank’s October schedule reveals a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond standard client outreach. BPD is sponsoring the country’s first-ever interuniversity “Capture The Flag” (CTF) cybersecurity competition, organized by Pentraze Cybersecurity and the Technological Institute of the Americas (ITLA). The competition will test the technical skills of students from a dozen universities, aiming to identify and cultivate future security talent.

Furthermore, the bank will hold specialized webinars and conferences for its technology developers and general suppliers, recognizing that the security chain extends beyond the institution itself. For public education, the campaign will feature articles on the BPD’s official blog, targeted client campaigns, and the release of “Red alert: we’ve been hacked!”, a fictional podcast audioseries that simulates common cyberattacks against small businesses to illustrate digital risks.

By promoting content focused on practical risks and launching a university-level competition, Banco Popular is effectively repositioning itself as a key partner in the Dominican Republic’s ongoing effort to raise the collective digital defense against evolving global cyber threats.