Technology
Cybercrime on the Rise in Costa Rica: A Structural Threat to Security and Economy, Warns NU
Exponential growth in cybercrime against Costa Rica, with over 40,000 recorded incidents since 2018 and a 96.7% increase in cases between 2023 and 2024.
A report from the National University (NU), published April 9, 2026, warns that cybercrime is now a structural threat to Costa Rica's security and economy. Authorities recorded more than 40,000 cybercrimes from 2018 through August 2025, with cases nearly doubling between 2023 and 2024 (96.7% increase). Annual reports rose from about 1,600 in 2018 to over 10,000 per year in 2024 and 2025. The analysis highlights gaps such as a 94.1% shortage of specialized cybersecurity personnel, low R&D investment (0.34% of GDP), and the lack of formal risk assessment systems and attack drills in many institutions. Experts project that 2026 will see consolidation of AI‑driven autonomous agents capable of executing large‑scale attacks without human intervention, raising the risk of sophisticated extortions against both public and private organizations in Costa Rica.
- Status
- active
- Location
- Costa Rica
- Date added
- 2026-04-10 11:50 UTC
- Added by
- gregoryamericaapdrmis
- Last updated
- Source
- https://thecostaricanews.com/cybercrime-on-the-rise-in-costa-rica-a-structural-threat-to-security-an
- Source published dsate/time
- 2026-04-10 10:30 UTC
- Event date/time
- Not provided
- Connected threats
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- Not Available