Tiago Bianchi
Research expert covering internet & gaming in Latin America and Spain
Accounting for over one in six registered criminal offenses in Spain, cybercrime has become an increasing threat to citizens, companies, and authorities. The country now ranks second worldwide to be most targeted by spam or malicious mailshots, fourth with the most users affected by data breaches on their online accounts, and sixth in terms of most companies experiencing cyberattacks. With an impact of almost 50 billion U.S. dollars annually, Spanish citizens and companies struggle to avert the growing number of online threats, while national courts face an increasing workload dealing with a threat that sees little chance of reducing its local and worldwide upward trend.
The picture is even more grim for Spanish companies: half of national corporations suffered a cyberattack in 2023, while three out of four firms faced ransomware attacks and were at risk of suffering material damages from cyberattacks. Therefore, data leaks become a growing predicament for Spanish companies, with more than 58 percent of those enterprises experiencing sensitive data loss. As concerns about this risk increase globally, local authorities are increasing penalties for companies’ breaches and mishandling of user data, making Spain the fifth-ranked country with the highest number of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) fines.
On a state level, cybercrime receives increasing attention from Spanish courts, which in 2023 registered the highest number of related juridical procedures and arrests related to this type of offense to date. Primarily targeting users and companies' finances, crimes against heritage and socioeconomic order were the type of online violation to receive the highest number of court procedures in Spain, with over 20,000 procedures against these felonies and over 15,000 arrested individuals. As local authorities rush to track and proceed against the growing number of online offenses, cybercrime turns into a matter for public policy in Spain, but the call for action must be extended from the state to companies and individuals to face a threat expected to become as present as the internet is for Spanish citizens.
A matter of public security
With more than 374,000 recognized occurrences, Spain had over 298,000 individuals victimized by cybercrime in 2022. Primarily identified in the country’s most populous regions and communities such as Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia, and Valencia, cybercrime has historically affected local citizens aged between 26 and 40 years, although individuals aged between 51 to 66 years now are the second most cybercrime-targeted age group. With over 60 percent of Spanish internet users reporting cybersecurity incidents, it is projected that over 7.8 million Spanish accounts suffered some kind of data breach in 2023.The picture is even more grim for Spanish companies: half of national corporations suffered a cyberattack in 2023, while three out of four firms faced ransomware attacks and were at risk of suffering material damages from cyberattacks. Therefore, data leaks become a growing predicament for Spanish companies, with more than 58 percent of those enterprises experiencing sensitive data loss. As concerns about this risk increase globally, local authorities are increasing penalties for companies’ breaches and mishandling of user data, making Spain the fifth-ranked country with the highest number of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) fines.
Spotlight: Spanish courts against cybercrime
As the online threat grows, so does the need to counteract these threats. Primarily worried about the material damages incurred by cybersecurity issues, especially regarding their reputation and market valuation, Spanish companies currently invest almost a fourth of their IT budgets on the issue, thus increasing the demand for the cybersecurity industry and talent on a national level. Meanwhile, changes in online habits towards password usage and data handling are among the most necessary and commonly adopted measures by Spanish internet users when facing cybersecurity issues.On a state level, cybercrime receives increasing attention from Spanish courts, which in 2023 registered the highest number of related juridical procedures and arrests related to this type of offense to date. Primarily targeting users and companies' finances, crimes against heritage and socioeconomic order were the type of online violation to receive the highest number of court procedures in Spain, with over 20,000 procedures against these felonies and over 15,000 arrested individuals. As local authorities rush to track and proceed against the growing number of online offenses, cybercrime turns into a matter for public policy in Spain, but the call for action must be extended from the state to companies and individuals to face a threat expected to become as present as the internet is for Spanish citizens.
