LatAm Now Faces 2x More Cyberattacks Than US

Why It Matters

The surge exposes Latin American enterprises to heightened financial loss and reputational damage, pressuring regulators and investors to accelerate cyber‑resilience initiatives.

Key Takeaways

• Latin America faces ~3,100 weekly cyber threats, double US
• Ransomware, infostealers, banking malware rates higher than US
• Phishing accounts for 74% of Latin attacks, vs 5% web
• Healthcare tops Latin attack list; financial services rank sixth
• Regional maturity scores 2‑3, indicating weak cybersecurity foundations

Pulse Analysis

The rapid digitization of Latin American economies has created a fertile ground for cybercriminals. Companies are migrating services to the cloud, adopting SaaS platforms, and expanding e‑commerce, yet many lack proportionate security budgets and skilled personnel. This imbalance drives a 53% year‑over‑year rise in weekly attacks, positioning the region as the most heavily targeted globally. The disparity is not merely quantitative; the threat landscape reflects a prevalence of ransomware, infostealers, and banking malware, suggesting attackers are exploiting both financial incentives and the relative ease of breaching under‑protected environments.

A striking feature of the Latin American threat profile is the dominance of phishing as an entry point. Approximately three‑quarters of malicious files are delivered via email, contrasting sharply with the United States where web‑based delivery accounts for 95% of incidents. Attackers tailor lures to local contexts—impersonating banks, government agencies, and travel confirmations—capitalizing on limited cyber awareness among consumers and staff. Sector analysis reveals healthcare as the most victimized industry, while financial services, though absent from the U.S. top ten, rank sixth in the south, highlighting divergent attacker priorities across the continent.

Addressing this security gap requires a multi‑layered strategy. Governments and industry groups should promote maturity frameworks such as the OAS‑Oxford CMM, encouraging organizations to benchmark and elevate their defenses beyond the current 2‑3 rating. Investment in advanced email filtering, user education, and unified threat management can curb phishing success rates. Moreover, cross‑border information sharing and coordinated incident response will help mitigate the spread of botnets and ransomware campaigns that exploit fragmented IT environments. By aligning digital growth with robust cybersecurity practices, Latin America can reduce its attack surface and protect its expanding digital economy.