On the morning of last Sunday, June 9, while many people from Cali were enjoying the festive long weekend, a team from Emcali, the main public company in Cali, faced a serious cyber attack.
According to information collected by the Weekly magazine, The cyberattack on Emcali began around 9:30 am, threatening to affect commercial, billing and information systems.
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Thanks to the rapid intervention of the Information Technology Management, the attack was contained and blocked in less than two hours.
Roger Mina, manager of Emcali, explained to that media outlet that the attack was mainly aimed at information systems related to the commercial function.
Although the situation was quickly brought under control, the technical team continued to work intensely, with more than 35 hours dedicated to securing and restoring the systems. According to Mina, the hackers were probably looking to block commercial applications to extort money from the company.
The official stressed to the Weekly magazine the importance of maintaining vigilance, since latent threats still persist. The company’s systems were isolated to prevent the spread of the attack, and the reconnection phase of these systems also represents potential risks.
Mina highlighted that although it is not the first time they have faced this type of situation, Emcali has a trained team and is implementing a project to strengthen the digital security of all its systems.
“We are very committed and committed to improving the service of the main company of the people of Cali,” said Mina. Despite the attackers’ attempt to sow chaos, Emcali and his team managed to protect the systems and the tranquility of the citizens.
Mauricio Lizcano, Minister of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), highlighted at the 2024 Banking Convention in Cartagena the recent cybersecurity challenges facing Colombia, especially in the financial sector.
Lizcano reported that twenty billion cyberattacks have been recorded so far this year, which shows the urgency of strengthening the protection of the data and finances of Colombians.
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In his speech, Lizcano warned about the significant increase in cyberattacks compared to previous years. “Unfortunately, last year we had twenty-eight billion cyberattacks, many of them in the banking sector, and in these five months we have already accumulated twenty billion,” said the minister. He called on Asobancaria to work together in the fight against cybercrime.
During the event, various aspects of the strategy were detailed Colombia Digital Power, which seeks to innovate and improve the country’s technological infrastructure. This strategy includes the promotion of 5G networks, of which there are already 1,500 antennas installed in 22 municipalities. Lizcano highlighted the potential of this technology for different economic sectors and the need to integrate innovation into these processes.
The financial sector, one of the most affected by cyberattacks, is also one of the most advanced in terms of preparedness and cybersecurity.
Among the panelists were Mónica Higuera, director of the Regulatory Projection and Financial Regulation Studies Unit (URF); Maritza Pérez, executive vice president of Davivienda, and Andrés Vásquez, CEO of Nequi. Everyone agreed on the importance of increasing Internet coverage in the country to guarantee greater digital security and trust among digital banking users.
As part of the preventive measures, Lizcano announced a significant investment of $20,000 million to transform the Villamaría Technology Park into a hub cybersecurity. This center will offer specialized services in the detection and prevention of cyber attacks. In addition, the minister proposed the creation of a specific complaint line for cybersecurity, so that citizens can report incidents and receive appropriate advice.
“Increasing Internet coverage and strengthening digital security are essential steps to generate more trust in digital banking and protect users,” commented Mónica Higuera during her participation in the panel. Maritza Pérez added that “collaboration between the public and private sectors is essential to face these cybersecurity challenges effectively.”
