Understand the risk: The best and worst countries for cybersecurity
The digital era has provided us with numerous advantages. Handheld devices that we carry in our pockets allow us to connect instantaneously with people all over the world, shop for necessities, manage our accounts, conduct our jobs, and so much more.
However, because the internet has become so ingrained in our daily lives, it has also become a massive source of risk. Criminals seeking to steal money or information and endanger national security and stability have more tools than ever to use against us.
As a result, governments must examine cyberspace risks and take action to keep their citizens secure. However, as is often the case, certain governments and general society do better than others.
It is critical to learn which countries are doing well and which are not, as this can help you understand the dangers you encounter when traveling and which policies are effective and not.
Today, we've compiled a list of the five most cyber-secure countries and the five least cyber-secure countries.
The top 5 cyber-secure countries
After reviewing several studies on the cybersecurity of nations throughout the world, we found the following five to be the best:
United States
While cybercrime is a problem in the United States, it is also true that the country has the greatest infrastructure to combat it and most cybersecurity companies in the world call it home. When it comes to cybercrime, the United States is cooperative and somewhat structured in its efforts.
The Global Cybersecurity Index granted it a flawless score, although there are a few flaws. The only improvement we could mention is taking better efforts to inform the population of potential cybersecurity threats. Only 2.89 percent of mobile devices are infected with malware, and even fewer are afflicted with banking or ransomware trojans. Attacks are low across the board, propelling the United States higher in prior years' rankings.
Finland
Finland has earned a spot on our list due to its outstanding legislative response to cybercrime. It also has the lowest mobile malware infection rate, at 1.06%. There are also no harmful mailings, and targeted attacks from all angles are rare.
In general, Finland is doing an excellent job, and the government has recently allocated funding and resources to assist businesses in strengthening their cyber defenses in response to a more hazardous environment. This is an effort that we would want to see more governments officially support.
However, because every country has the chance to improve, we would want to see the government become more organized in its battle against cybercrime, both globally and locally. Powerful legislative measures and technological capabilities can only be fully exploited if the action plan prioritizes cybercrime reduction.
United Kingdom
Another high scorer and a country that has continuously been one of the finest in the world when it comes to cybersecurity, the United Kingdom comes in third place in our rankings.
Mobile malware infects a small percentage of devices (2.26 percent), banking and ransomware trojans are minimal if not nonexistent, and the United Kingdom is the source of very few cyberattacks globally. By all accounts, it has a calming effect on the global cybersecurity community.
In some ways, the United Kingdom resembles the United States in terms of its strengths and weaknesses, as while the legal framework and efforts are generally excellent, we would like to see more government efforts to educate its citizens. The best efforts in the world will be in vain if the average person allows malware in through their front door.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea, a country noted for its exceptional technical achievements in the area of computers, is one of the top countries and the leader in the Asia-Pacific region.
Why? It has a robust regulatory structure in place to combat cybercrime, and the technological capacity to do so and is typically cooperative in international efforts. It may benefit from an additional organizational effort to fully leverage its capabilities, but this does not diminish the country's good effect on global cybersecurity.
However, improvements in total infected devices can be made when compared to top scorers. Banking malware and Trojans are an issue, and malware infects around 3.19 percent of mobile devices. South Korean devices are regarded as targets, and this must be addressed regardless of how ineffectual the majority of attempts are.
Denmark
Denmark rounds out our top five, which should come as no surprise. It is technologically advanced, has a solid regulatory framework in place to combat cybercrime, and is well-organized in dealing with threats and ensuring that individuals and businesses are prepared.
The infection rate of devices across the country reflects these efforts. Only 1.33 percent of mobile devices are infected, and Denmark ranks at the top in almost every infection metric.
Studies continuously show zero infected devices, be it with mobile ransomware or mobile banking trojans.
While its broad diplomatic attitude may prevent it from taking substantial steps, Denmark would benefit from a more coordinated worldwide approach to combating cybercrime. It is a worldwide problem because cyber thieves do not recognize or respect boundaries.
Honorable mentions
China
China may not be at the top of the list, but the Chinese government is actively working to strengthen cybersecurity.
According to them, a large-scale strategy for reorganizing the country's industry has been planned for this. As a result, the following will be developed within the framework of this program:
• 5 safety laboratories
• 3-5 national industrial security parks
• 10 demonstration sites for innovative products
• A number of enterprises with international competitiveness in the industry
The Chinese government has predicted that by 2025, cybersecurity investment will equal 22 billion dollars each year.
The top 5 least cyber-secure countries
Algeria
Algeria is still a troubled country in terms of cybersecurity. There is minimal organizational and government support for cybersecurity measures, and the country is fairly isolated in terms of joint efforts (or overall efforts are simply ineffective).
When you combine these issues with high infection rates, it's easy to see why it's ranked first. Malware-infected phones account for 21.97 percent of all phones. There is a banking virus issue as well as a crypto mining issue. Web-based malware has infected a total of 6.22 devices.
It will take time and effort to address Algeria's cybersecurity issues, and we are not seeing any progress in this regard.
Iran
Iran has not been performing well in terms of cybersecurity in previous years, and recent times have been particularly harmful to the country. Infection rates are exceptionally high, with the highest incidence of mobile malware infection worldwide (30.29 percent). 1.6 percent of consumers were targeted by banking malware, while 29.06 percent were infected by local malware. Other sorts of assaults are less common, but they continue to be a problem.
These difficulties might be addressed with patience and care, but the country's leadership is not as cooperative in international efforts as it could be, and the framework and infrastructure are not comparable to those found in the industrialized world. All of these variables combine to make it a hazardous environment for your device.
Tanzania
While Tanzania has made tremendous progress in addressing its cybersecurity vulnerabilities, there are still certain organizational flaws that cause problems and must be addressed.
This alone would not have qualified it for this list, but according to the most recent available statistics, it had one of the highest infection rates for devices worldwide. Although very recent data is unavailable, Tanzania formerly had a mobile infection rate of 28.03 percent and a PC infection rate of 14.7 percent.
Tajikistan
Tajikistan, for all intents and purposes, does not have a cybersecurity apparatus of any sort. As things are, there is limited technological assistance, minimal legislative measures enforcing cybersecurity, and absolutely no cooperation measures, capacity, or progress. People are on their own when it comes to cybersecurity, and the country would be higher on this list if it weren't for the fact that other countries have more infected devices.
Despite this, there aren't many infected devices, maybe because hackers don't see the country as a key target. Despite this, 41.16 percent of computers are vulnerable to malware attacks, and further concerns loom if more gadgets enter the nation. If you are in Tajikistan, be cautious with your equipment and take precautions to protect yourself.
Pakistan
Pakistan has a cybersecurity concern, with 21.18 percent of PCs vulnerable to local malware attacks and 9.96 percent of mobile devices already infected. While infection rates are lower than they were a few years ago, there is still a lot of work to be done, and anyone visiting should take additional precautionary measures.
Pakistan is also a country that is typically uncooperative on an international level when it comes to dealing with cybercrime, which does not help given that it is not a technology powerhouse like some other nations with a more isolationist approach. Things are unlikely to improve in the near future.
Dishonorable mentions
Vietnam
Vietnam has made significant progress in terms of its cybercrime framework, but it still has one of the highest rates of infected devices in the world.
Malware infects many computers, and 9.04 percent of mobile devices. To lower the risk of infection, the government must identify remedies and act upon them.
Conclusion
We hope you now have a better understanding of the global cybersecurity environment and what makes one country more cyber-safe than another. Of course, it is preferable to avoid going to countries with poor defenses, but if you find yourself in one of these areas, commit to good digital practices and you should be secure no matter where you are.
