Cybersecurity and Ransomware in the Brazilian Government

Abstract

The increasing reliance on digital services and the lack of a solid cybersecurity infrastructure and framework have made Brazil one of the biggest targets for cyberattacks in the world. One increasingly common type of attack is known as ransomware, in which perpetrators lock systems and databases and demand money to unlock them. The essay aims to provide an overview of ransomware as a threat to cybersecurity in the public sector, with special attention to the Brazilian context. Therefore, the Brazilian institutional and legal framework for cybersecurity and ransomware control is examined. From a methodological point of view, the study is limited to a literature review composed of academic scholarship and official documents (international and national) on the subject. As a partial result, it was found that the issue of cybersecurity and ransomware has been gradually included in the government's agenda through strategic documents, new organizational structures, legislative reforms, and international cooperation measures.