With an 80% increase in the last two years, Mexico has solidified its position as the sixth country worldwide with the highest incidence of cyberattacks, a critical situation that highlights the vulnerability of strategic sectors and the lack of government regulation in the face of major events like the upcoming World Cup.
At Check Point Advantage 2026, held in Guadalajara, experts from the global cybersecurity firm warned that the manufacturing industry is now the primary target due to “technical debt” or technological obsolescence. However, the human factor and cultural resistance remain the biggest obstacles.
“It’s a cultural issue in Latin America; many companies say ‘it will never happen to me,’ and sometimes they aren’t even aware that it’s already happening to them because they lack visibility,” said Miguel Hernández, country manager of Check Point Mexico.
With the World Cup approaching, questions arise about the institutional capacity for response. Vladimir Larrañaga, security engineering manager at the firm, questioned how the government will guarantee the authenticity of ticket sales and reservations to prevent widespread fraud.
“How will the government address the issue of counterfeit tickets? How will it tackle fraud in hotels and transportation? A comprehensive structure is needed to minimize risks,” Larrañaga stated.
Although some government agencies have robust systems, experts agreed that the landscape is uneven. Ransomware attacks and identity theft (especially in tax procedures) are on the rise, while legislation is not keeping pace with technological advancements.
Miguel Hernández pointed out that, although initiatives exist, Mexico lacks a formal regulatory body and clear regulations on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). “At the government level, one of the priority areas is regulation; there has been a lack of progress in AI regulation at a global level,” he indicated.
Finally, Check Point executives emphasized that digital security is not a fad, but a shared responsibility between the State, the private sector, and citizens, who must move towards a culture of prevention and selection of robust technologies to protect Mexicans’ information.
Source: jalisco.quadratin
