CHILE: Chile at Digital Risk: Business Mistakes Cause Million-Dollar Losses

Alexis Campos Cut Security

Ransomware, New Laws, and Business Mistakes: How to Protect Your Organization in 2025

Today, attacks are less massive, but much more intelligent.

— Alexis Campos

CHILE, September 23, 2025 / EINPresswire.com / -- Alexis Campos, cybersecurity specialist at Cut Security by Grupotech, warns that although the number of attacks decreased in 2023, they are now more targeted and sophisticated. Ransomware is the main risk, and a single incident can cause average losses of more than $300,000. These attacks affect banks, hospitals, retail stores, and SMEs equally.

In Chile, cyberattacks have ceased to be a distant threat and have become a strategic risk for

companies. According to reports, the country faced almost 29,000 ransomware attacks in the last year, with losses in the millions and increasing pressure to comply with the Cybersecurity Framework Law (21,663) and the Data Protection Law (21,719). A system compromised by a ransomware attack can generate average losses of more than $300,000. These attacks affect banks, hospitals, the retail sector, and SMEs equally.

Alexis Campos, a specialist at Cut Security by Grupotech, points out that, although the number of attacks decreased in 2023, they are now much more targeted and sophisticated. His experience as an ethical hacker allows him to understand the attackers' mindset and anticipate their moves.

Why do Chilean companies remain vulnerable?
According to Campos, the main reason companies continue to fall into cybercrime traps are common and preventable errors. The most frequent failures are:

1) Not updating systems or applying security patches.
2) Not using multi-factor authentication (MFA) for critical access.
3) Poor staff training, since 80% of attacks begin with human error. A single click on a phishing email is enough to open the door to an attack.
4) Not having incident response plans or cyber insurance. More than 60% of companies in Chile do not have an updated incident response plan, leaving them adrift in the event of a crisis.

Artificial intelligence and new laws are changing the game.

Cybersecurity Law 21.663 requires companies to implement an Information Security Management System (ISMS), designate a cybersecurity officer, and report serious incidents to the CSIRT within a maximum of three hours. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to 10,000 UTM (Unintelligible Units). Added to this is Data Protection Law 21.719, which will come into full force in 2026 and will impose multi-million-dollar fines for the misuse of personal information. In this context, cybersecurity and regulatory compliance have ceased to be optional, becoming part of the corporate DNA.

Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) is a double-edged sword. While companies use it to detect attacks, cybercriminals leverage it to create hyper-realistic phishing attacks and search for vulnerabilities. Today, nearly half of ransomware attacks in Chile use AI to personalize their campaigns. Here are

five steps to protect your business now:

Campos recommends owners and managers take these immediate actions to reduce risks:

1) Train staff frequently.
2) Update and patch systems frequently.
3) Implement MFA on all critical access points.
4) Back up offline data periodically.
5) Monitor the network 24/7 with tools or through a SOC (Security Operations Center).

According to the expert, investment in cybersecurity in Chile will grow at least 20% annually. However, the key is not to wait to become a victim, but to invest in prevention today. As Campos concludes, the challenge is no longer wondering if an attack will occur, but when.

Investment in cybersecurity will grow by at least 20% annually. There will be more regulations, more collaboration between the public and private sectors, and greater use of AI in defense. But the essentials will not change: the difference will be between those who invest in prevention and those who wait to become victims.

Cybersecurity in Chile is no longer a technical issue: it is a matter of operational continuity, reputation, and legal compliance . As Alexis Campos concludes, the challenge is not wondering if an attack will occur, but when. Preparing today, with experts and a clear strategy, can make the difference between surviving a crisis or being left out of the market.