Digitalization is advancing rapidly, and with each step forward, new challenges emerge. Cyber risks and digital threats are constantly evolving with new tactics driven by artificial intelligence and sophisticated criminal networks, jeopardizing trust, growth, and the security of the digital ecosystem. It’s not just about protecting transactions but ensuring every interaction. Without trust, digitalization cannot thrive.
Cybersecurity: A growing global challenge
Cybercriminals have found in AI a powerful tool to sophisticate their attacks. Deepfakes, automated phishing, and large-scale fraud make digital organized crime not only more effective but also harder to trace. The numbers are alarming:
- In 2023, losses from online fraud reached $1 trillion worldwide.
- The global cost of cybercrime is estimated to reach $14 trillion by 2028, making it the third-largest economy in the world.
- Fraud remains a significant and growing threat, with nearly half of global consumers experiencing at least one attempt per week.
- According to the cybersecurity company Cybersecurity Ventures, the global cost of cyberattacks in 2023 was $6 trillion, and this number is expected to rise to $10 trillion by 2025.
- In Latin America, data leaks and breaches reached an average cost of $2.46 million—a historic record for the region and a 76% increase since 2020, according to the study Cost of a Data Breach (America Economia – special edition on Cybersecurity – March 2024).
These figures reinforce the need for a more strategic approach to cybersecurity, one that allows threats to be anticipated rather than merely reacted to.
Towards a more secure digital ecosystem
At Mastercard, for example, digital security is an integral part of our mission. For us, ensuring digital security involves three fundamental pillars:
- Assess: Providing visibility into cyber risks. Solutions like RiskRecon help businesses and governments understand their risk exposure, enabling constant monitoring of vulnerabilities.
- Protect: Implementing advanced technologies to mitigate threats. AI and real-time monitoring are essential tools for preventing attacks. With Recorded Future, we strengthen our real-time threat intelligence capabilities. Additionally, solutions like SafetyNet prevented $50 billion in fraud losses over the last three years.
- Organizing a trust ecosystem: The fight against cybercrime cannot be done in isolation. Alliances between businesses, governments, and organizations are needed to share intelligence and create more robust security standards.
The ability to track cyberattack patterns globally is crucial. Today, it’s possible to detect an attack in Brazil, trace its movement to Indonesia, and analyze its recurrence in Germany. This level of connectivity and predictive analysis is key to anticipating emerging threats and strengthening digital resilience.
AI as an ally in the fight against fraud
While cybercriminals use AI to enhance their attacks, artificial intelligence has become a powerful ally in digital security. Our generative AI solutions have enabled:
- Doubling the detection rate of compromised cards
- Reducing false positives in fraud detection by 200%
- Increasing the speed of identifying at-risk merchants by 300%
These innovations strengthen security and improve the user experience, reducing friction and increasing trust in every transaction.
A call to action: Security is a shared responsibility
In an increasingly interconnected world, trust is the most valuable asset. Without security, the opportunities of digitalization can be compromised. Today, more than ever, ensuring the security of the digital ecosystem demands innovation, cooperation, and a preventive approach.
