Mexico’s Cybersecurity Knowledge Lags Behind Global Average

Mexico’s cybersecurity knowledge falls below the global average, according to the 2024 National Privacy Test. The results highlight weaknesses in password management, home Wi-Fi network protection, and awareness of risks related to data collection through social networks. Despite these challenges, Mexico surpasses some Spanish-speaking countries in digital risk management and daily computer use routines.

Mexico’s Results

Positives

• Digital Risk Awareness: Mexico excelled in digital risk awareness, scoring 6.9. The country demonstrated strong capabilities in identifying phishing attempts and fraudulent SMS, showing proficiency in recognizing and reporting security threats.

• Daily Computer Use Routines: While Mexico’s score of 4.4 is still insufficient, it is higher than other Spanish-speaking countries like Argentina (5.1). Mexicans perform slightly better in device protection despite prevalent unsafe digital habits and poor social media practices.

• Digital Privacy Knowledge: Mexico scored 5.1, indicating a stronger awareness of digital privacy compared to other Spanish-speaking nations, though privacy remains a secondary concern for many.

Negatives: 

• Password Security: There is a significant lack of secure password storage in Mexico. The use of weak passwords increases the risk of profile theft and phishing attacks, as many people fail to protect their passwords properly.

• Social Media Data Awareness: Mexicans are not fully aware of the risks associated with excessive data collection on platforms like Facebook. While they are vigilant about reporting suspicious logins, they underestimate the potential harm of sharing personal information freely on social media.

• Home Wifi Security: The study found that many Mexicans fail to secure their home Wi-Fi networks adequately, leaving their devices vulnerable to attacks. A lack of encryption puts entire households at risk.

"Technological advances can be overwhelming, making it difficult for people to stay up to date. With convenience-based applications becoming integral to daily life, users often prioritize ease over security, unknowingly exposing themselves to risk," said Marijus Briedis, CTO, NordVPN. 

Global Results

Mexico's score of 5.5 places it slightly ahead of Argentina (5.4) and Spain (5.3), though all are below the global average. Globally, participants performed better in creating secure passwords and recognizing suspicious offers from streaming services, with 96% and 95% correct answers, respectively. However, they struggle with understanding metadata collection by Internet service providers and protecting home Wi-Fi networks, which saw only 13% and 16% correct answers.

Notably, only 6% of respondents globally understood the privacy issues linked to artificial intelligence in the workplace. Awareness of the importance of updating apps also dropped from 69% in 2023 to 56% in 2024.

Globally, people aged 30-54 scored the highest in cybersecurity knowledge, while the youngest and those over 54 showed significant room for improvement. The top-performing countries in cybersecurity and privacy knowledge are Singapore, Finland, Lithuania, Germany, and the United States.