Just imagine for a moment that you wake up one morning and realize that your cell phone has no signal, the ATMs don’t work and if you go outside you see that not even the lighting is working as it should. You would think that it would be fixed soon, but this is the initial scenario that cybersecurity experts fear could happen in Spain in the not-so-distant future.
A massive, coordinated cyberattack could paralyze the country in a matter of hours, leaving millions of Spaniards without access to basic services and plunging the nation into chaos. AND The most alarming thing is that experts estimate that this catastrophe could occur in just two years..
Spain, as one of the main European economies and a key member of NATO, would ultimately end up being a very juicy target for cybercriminals.
But, Who would be responsible for an attack of such magnitude? Experts point to three potential culprits: organized cybercriminal groups, hostile states and cyber terrorists.
Spain, which ranks third in the world in threat detections with 9%, is candy
Surely you are familiar with attacks on IBEX 35 companies such as Banco Santander, Iberdrola, Repsol and Telefónica or even the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona in 2023, as well as public organizations, they have put on the table in 2024 the imperative need for cybersecurity be more powerful.
A well-coordinated attack, whichever way it comes, could start targeting the country’s critical infrastructure. Imagine air traffic control systems collapsing, power grids failing, and banking systems crashing all at once.
In a matter of hours, panic would spread among the population – just remember the chaos when Microsoft messed up and airports, banks and hospitals were out of service -, with long lines at gas stations and supermarkets, and a total collapse of transportation services. emergency.
Of course, The economic impact of an attack of this magnitude would be devastating. According to estimates, the cost of cybercrime for the global economy could reach 10.5 trillion dollars in 20251. For Spain, this could translate into losses of billions of euros and an economic recession that would last for too many years.
Reading this, the comparison with the COVID-19 pandemic is inevitable. As with the virus, lack of preparation and coordination could worsen the effects of the cyberattack. But, as the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, commented, this potential global catastrophe would leave us in a much more delicate and dangerous position than the one brought by COVID.
Given this scenario, which is actually not so crazy to think about, what can be done? Experts recommend a series of measures such as increasing investment in cybersecurity, improving international aid and joint work, implementing powerful security protection systems and, above all, educate the population about the risks of cyber attacks. Of course, the key is prevention and the ability to respond quickly to an attack.
Get to know how we work in ComputerToday.
Tags: Spain, Cybersecurity
Add Comment