Cybercrime in Brazil more likely to come from peers, rather than strangers

Since June, scandals related to high-ranking Brazilian officials have shed light on users’ protection against data breaches. The leak of Telegram messages between Justice Minister Sérgio Moro and prosecutors of the Operation Car Wash task force have shown that even top authorities aren’t safe from gaps in security settings.

Within a year, users are expected to gain more control over their own data, as Brazil’s Data Protection Law (LGPD) is set to come into force. The legislation will impose a series of obligations on companies which hold personal information of clients and fine them up to BRL 50 million (or two percent of the company’s revenue, whichever is the largest) in case of a breach.  

In the meantime, Brazilians still have to resort to expert services to help them solve these problems and deal with the occasional torment of life online. Since 2007, NGO Safernet provides users with a tool to express their grievances and refers them to a range of services—from the police to psychological assistance groups—to help them cope with the issues raised by the internet. 

Since 2007, the Helpline channel has assisted 24,662 people via chat and email. In that period, the service has amassed 4 million anonymous reports....