The Colombian government is expected to announce new security practices and safeguards for cyber security following a review by international experts reported Colombia’s El Tiempo on Monday. International experts from ten countries and the Organization for American States (OAS), completed a cyber security analysis last week at the request of the Colombian government.
The analysis showed that Colombia is actually better off in terms of cyber security than many other Latin American nations, said El Tiempo. Nevertheless, several private companies, such as Microsoft’s Center for Cybercrime, found that high levels of cybercrime are already present in Colombia.
MORE: Colombia to receive cyber-security assistance from ‘international experts’
This information has been paired with research from members of the Colombian private sector and a new cyber security committee, formed in February of this year, to outline a new set of cyber security measures in Colombia.
New groups
Colombia’s new cyber security groups are the Colombian Cyber Emergency Response Group (colCert) and a Cyber Police center (CCP) which include members form the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Information Technology.
Some of the most frequent crimes are identity theft, attacks against government and financial institutions and “kidnapping” of public and private information, said El Tiempo.
With this new cyber security analysis Colombia will reportedly implement two new security systems, internal and external. These cyber security systems will work in coordination with one another and will have direct links to the executive branch.
Boost to cyber security
The new security measures will also reportedly allocate a more robust budget for the cyber security program that will increase staff size, and give the program a technological boost.
Laws against cyber crimes will also gain greater definition and stiffen penalties for cyber criminals.
Cyber crime reportedly cost Colombia a staggering $500 million in 2013. Around 350 cyber criminals were reportedly arrested last year.
Sources
- El ‘plan Colombia’ para la ciberseguridad (El Tiempo)
- Colombia Prepares New Cyber Security Strategy (Nearshore Americas)