• Threat Intelligence Cyber Risk Cybersecurity Operations Cyberattacks & Data Breaches News Breaking cybersecurity news, news analysis, commentary, and other content from around the world, with an initial focus on the Middle East & Africa and the Asia Pacific Latin America’s Cyber Maturity Lags Threat Landscape The slower pace of upgrades has the unintended impact of creating a haven for attackers, especially for initial access brokers and ransomware gangs. • February 20, 2026 Although Latin American countries have made major strides toward cybersecurity maturity, sluggish progress and an aggressive cybercrime ecosystem present challenges ahead for the region. • Intel 471 this week published a report detailingLatin America’s cyber threat landscape, synthesizing data collected during 2025. • Broadly speaking, the report references increasing security maturity for the region - citing a December 2025 report from the Organization of American States (OAS)attesting to this- while observing an increasingly hostile threat landscape. • For example, Intel 471 reported more than 450 ransomware breach events in the region last year, marking a 78% increase over 2024. • Furthermore, researchers tracked more than 200 initial access brokers targeting Latin American entities, multiple advanced persistent APT clusters around the world, and at least 119 hacktivist groups in 15 countries across the region.
Article Summaries:
- Latin America’s cybersecurity landscape is improving yet remains vulnerable, according to Intel 471’s 2025 report and an OAS assessment. The region saw a 78 % rise in ransomware incidents-over 450 breaches last year-and more than 200 initial‑access brokers, 119 hacktivist groups, and multiple APT clusters targeting local entities. Intel 471 notes the fastest global growth in disclosed cyber incidents, with a 25 % annual average increase and a 108 % jump in Q1 2025. Weekly attacks average 2,640, surpassing the global 1,955. Key gaps include limited skilled staff, uneven budgets, and weak cross‑sector collaboration, as highlighted by both reports.
Sources:
- https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/latin-americas-cyber-maturity-lags-threat-landscape (Latest source article published: 2026-02-20 14:00 UTC)