The Argentine Directorate of Cybersecurity Published its 2021 Security Incident Report

The CERT.ar published its 2021 Annual Report where it analyzes and describes the incidents reported during 2021. In its report, the CERT.ar defines security incidents as the "unauthorized access, attempted access, use, disclosure, modification or destruction of information" and adds that such incidents can be caused by an event that impedes the normal operation of a device, network, system or IT resource, as well as by a violation of an organization's information security policy. 

Among others, the annual report highlights the following information:

• A total of 591 incidents were reported during 2021, exceeding those reported in 2020 by 261.50%.

 

• Phishing cases accounted for 55% of the incidents reported during 2021.

 

• During the last eight months of 2020, ransomware cases constituted the most damaging attacks on both public and private organizations. This trend is estimated to have continued during 2021.

 

• Among the most affected sectors by the reported incidents, the report identifies the State, with a total of 235 incidents (39.70%) and Finance, with a total of 214 incidents (36.15%).

 

• Among the most reported types of incidents by the State and the Finance sector are: (i) unauthorized modification of information; (ii) SPAM; (iii) phishing; (iv) vulnerable systems; (v) denial of service; (vi) unauthorized access; (vii) disclosure of information; and (viii) social engineering.

 

• Fraud accounted for 56% of the total number of reported incidents.

 

• Of the incidents reported, 467 (79.02%) were classified as high severity, 69 (11.68%) as medium severity, 39 (6.60%) as low severity and 16 (2.71%) as critical severity.

Moreover, the CERT.ar classified and listed the reported security incidents as follows:

• Abusive content: 57 incidents
• Harmful content: 11
• Obtention of information: 2
• Intrusion: 26
• Availability: 11
• Information compromise: 101
• Fraud: 331
• Vulnerable: 50
• Other: 2