Is Brazil an easy target for data leaks?

In recent years, Brazil has drawn attention for the growing number of data leaks.

Organizations from different sectors, public agencies, and even essential services have been facing incidents that expose sensitive information of millions of people.

This reality raises an inevitable question: why has Brazil become such an easy target for cybercriminals?

In this article, we will explore the current panorama of data leaks in the country, understand the main factors that make Brazilian organizations more vulnerable and, above all, discuss the role of people in this scenario.

Do you want to know how a change in culture, with a focus on prevention and awareness, can make all the difference in reducing risks? Keep reading this text. After all, Brazil does not need to continue to be an easy target.

Why is Brazil a negative highlight in data leaks?

Cases such as the mega leak of 2021, which exposed information from more than 223 million Brazilians.

Recent attacks on public institutions and large companies reinforce the warning that data from millions of people is improperly circulating on the internet.

In 2024 alone, 84.6 million user accounts were compromised, which represents a growth of 2,322% compared to 2023, placing Brazil in 7th place globally in the ranking of most affected countries.

This number is equivalent to about three breached accounts per second, resulting in a scenario where digitization accelerates faster than protective measures.

A scenario like this has generated repercussions in the media and placed the issue of information security at the center of corporate and government debates and with each new incident, concern about the impacts on organizations grows.

In this context, discussing data leaks in Brazil is not only necessary, but urgent.

Organizations need to understand the causes of this increase, the main attack vectors and, above all, how awareness and strengthening the security culture can help reduce risks.

Is Brazil at the center of the leaks?

Data leaks in Brazil have repeatedly affected some of the most critical sectors of the economy, such as:

• Finance;

• Retail;

• Government;

• Health.

Each of these segments handles large volumes of sensitive information, which makes them strategic targets for cybercriminals.

In the financial sector, for example, incidents involving leaks of bank data, transactions, and even Pix keys have become frequent, while in retail, the growth of e-commerce during the last few years has also expanded the attack surface.

Large Brazilian retail chains have already faced leaks that exposed data such as CPF, purchase history and credit card information.

In addition to direct financial losses, these institutions also suffer from the loss of trust of consumers, who are increasingly afraid to provide their data on digital platforms.

The public sector, including government agencies, also appears frequently in the leak statistics.

Cases such as the incident that affected the INSS in 2024, which resulted in a fine for not notifying data subjects about the leak, reinforce the vulnerability of government structures.

In  the healthcare sector, the risk is even more critical, leaks of medical records, test histories, and health insurance data not only compromise patient privacy, but can also be used in fraud or extortion schemes.

When we compare Brazil with other countries, the situation stands out negatively, as the numbers reinforce that, despite not being the largest global economy, Brazil is one of the preferred targets for cybercriminals.

With a volume of incidents that exceeds that of countries with much more robust digital infrastructure.

What is the role of people in leaks?

As much as technology evolves and new protection tools are implemented, the human factor remains one of the main points of vulnerability in Brazilian organizations.

In most cases of data leakage, the error starts with a simple action, such as clicking on a suspicious link, providing information to unauthorized people, or incorrectly disposing of documents with sensitive data.

The combination of lack of continuous training and the absence of a safety culture means that many employees still do not recognize risky behaviors in the digital environment.

Social engineering attacks, especially those based on phishing, continue to lead as the main vectors of unauthorized access.

In 2024, more than 90% of cyber threats in Brazil originated from some type of human interaction, according to a survey by IBM Security, because criminals exploit emotions such as:

• Urgency;

• Fear;

• Inquisitiveness.

Aiming to convince people to open malicious emails, provide credentials or perform actions that open the door to attackers.

Even in organizations that already invest in technological solutions, the absence of continuous awareness turns each employee into a potential weak link in the security chain.

Another aggravating factor is the overconfidence on the part of professionals who believe they are immune to this type of attack.

This misperception, added to the accelerated work routine and the lack of clear policies on data handling, increases the chances of incidents.

After all, without a permanent educational process and actions that involve all areas of the institution, the tendency is for human errors to continue to be the main gateway to leaks.

What are the impacts of the leaks in Brazil on organizations?

The impacts of a data leak for Brazilian organizations go far beyond the technical issue.  The financial consequences can be severe, starting with the sanctions provided for by the LGPD.

In addition to the legal penalties, there are also costs related to investigating the incident, emergency response, communicating with those affected, and hiring specialized services for containment and remediation.

Not to mention the possible lawsuits and the payment of individual indemnities, which can generate long-term losses.

From a reputational perspective, the damage is equally concerning, a single leak can jeopardize years of building trust with customers, partners, and the market at large.

In addition, the perception that an organization does not properly take care of the data it collects can drive away consumers and directly impact sales, especially in a scenario where digital trust has become a differential.

In this way, maintaining information security is not only a legal obligation, but a strategic necessity for survival and sustainable growth.

What is the way to reduce leaks in Brazil?

It is necessary to understand that reducing the risks of data leaks in Brazil goes far beyond investing in advanced protection technologies.

The real difference is in strengthening the safety culture within organizations, involving all employees in the prevention process.

It is essential to adopt strategies ranging from continuous awareness to constant monitoring of risk behaviors, including practical actions such as phishing simulations, training, and direct engagement of leadership.

Only these actions will be able to reduce risks and create a strong culture of awareness.

Importance of continuous awareness

Information security awareness cannot be treated as a one-off action or a short-term campaign. Digital threats are constantly evolving, and with that, risk behaviors also change.

Therefore, organizations need to establish a continuous education process that keeps employees updated on the main types of scams, social engineering tactics, and data protection best practices.

Keeping the topic present in everyday life helps to create a constant perception of risk and a sense of collective responsibility.

Explore the contents

In addition to creating a continuous content schedule, it is important to diversify communication formats.

Interactive materials, newsletters, short videos, quizzes, and thematic campaigns are some of the ways to maintain engagement over time, think that communication needs to be simple, accessible, and connected to the real context.

These actions are very important and keep employees informed about their role in information security.

Phishing simulations

One of the most effective strategies for turning theory into practice is phishing simulations. These actions allow employees to experience real situations of attempted scams, without the risk of a real attack.

Based on the results of the simulations, companies are able to identify the most vulnerable groups, map risk behaviors, and direct corrective actions more assertively.

This type of training contributes to increasing the attention of employees when dealing with unknown emails, links, and attachments. Customized training is an essential complement to these simulations.

Instead of offering generic content, organizations can create specific learning paths for each risk profile, area, or role. This ensures greater relevance of the content and increases the chances of learning retention.

Leadership engagement

No security strategy will be successful if it does not rely on leadership engagement.

After all, when leaders demonstrate active involvement in awareness initiatives, participate in training, and reinforce safety messages in team meetings, the topic becomes a strategic priority.

In addition, the example coming from the leadership contributes to breaking the idea that information security is the responsibility of the IT team alone.

Another point is that companies need to allocate resources not only for the purchase of technologies.

But also for the development of education campaigns, hiring specialists, updating internal policies and conducting periodic audits.

How can PhishX help you?

One of the great challenges faced by organizations today is to transform the internal culture so that information security is seen as everyone's responsibility, not just the IT team's.

PhishX is a strategic ally in building a solid security culture, offering a complete ecosystem that integrates:

• Continuous awareness;

• Phishing simulations;

• Personalized training;

• Risk behavior monitoring tools.

  
  

With solutions that go beyond technology, PhishX helps organizations involve people in the prevention process, turning employees into an active line of defense against digital threats.

Want to know how? Contact our experts and learn more.

Brazil is a frequent target of data leaks