Cyber security is a global problem, and very few countries have an even moderately clean record when it comes to avoiding data breaches and cyber attacks. However, Comparitech, a cyber security consumer guide, has highlighted the ten countries most prepared for a cyber attack:
Comparitech’s guide also includes the countries least prepared for cyber incidents. Perhaps not surprisingly, the list consists of countries with little by way of cyber security infrastructure, such as such as Honduras, Namibia and Timor-Leste.
The study also includes statistics on the best and worst countries in a number of other cyber security categories.
Bad news for China
China reportedly has the highest rate of malware infections (49%), followed by Taiwan (47.34%), Turkey (40.99%) and Russia (38.95%). Sweden has the lowest rate (19.88%), followed by Finland (20.65%), Norway (21.63%) and Japan (22.24%).
China is also responsible for the highest percentage of global denial-of-service (DoS) attacks (29.56%). South Korea (4.06%), Singapore (3.93%), Japan (3.81%) and Vietnam (3.76%) are also in the top ten, meaning half of the list is represented by countries in the Asia–Pacific region.
Asia–Pacific countries are much less susceptible to ransomware. India (9.6%) topped the list, followed by Russia (6.41%), Kazakhstan (5.75%), Italy (5.25%) and Germany (4.26%).
The US, meanwhile, is a consistent target for attacks. It is ranked second in terms of DoS attacks, and is by far the most affected by cyber espionage – when a malicious actor gains access to sensitive information held by an organisation or government – accounting for 54% of incidents. South Korea is the second most affected country, with 6% of cyber espionage incidents.
The US also has the highest percentage of web application attacks (66%) and the highest average cost of cyber crimes ($17.36 million USD). Japan is second ($8.39 million), followed by Germany ($7.84 million), the UK ($7.21 million), Brazil ($5.27 million) and Australia ($4.3 million).
Addressing cyber security vulnerabilities
Cyber security is a broad issue affecting many parts of an organisation. No country is safe from cyber security concerns, and even if a country excels in one aspect, it will probably be vulnerable in another.
Organisations that want to stay protected from cyber attacks and data breaches should implement ISO 27001, the international standard that describes best practices for an information security management system (ISMS).
Certifying to ISO 27001 helps organisations manage their security practices in one place, consistently and cost-effectively. Organisations can put in place an overarching management process to make sure their information security controls continue to meet their security needs. This includes management systems, governance frameworks, best practice and IT audits.
Of course, these processes will be useless if the organisation’s staff aren’t aware of, or don’t follow, them. That’s why the Standard requires organisations to invest in regular staff training and awareness programmes.
Technology helps organisations manage processes and mitigate mistakes by staff, but it can’t be relied upon to stop all threats. For example, audits can reveal security weaknesses that can be targeted by appropriate technical controls, and the threat of malicious emails can be partially mitigated with spam filters.
Certifying to ISO 27001
If you’re considering certifying to ISO 27001, you should take a look at our consultancy service.
We are the world leader in implementing ISO 27001-compliant ISMSs, having helped more than 400 companies certify to the Standard. We use a proven and pragmatic approach, and provide a variety of implementation solutions to help our clients achieve accredited certification to ISO 27001 at an agreeable cost and with minimal disruption to business.
