Wheatley Urges Jamaicans To Stay Alert As Cyberattack Attempts Surge

Dr Andrew Wheatley, the minister with responsibility for science, technology and special projects, says Jamaicans cannot depend on laws alone to keep cyber criminals at bay. He is calling for citizens to sharpen their digital awareness, noting that personal caution remains a key line of protection against online threats that often come from overseas.

Wheatley, while defending the Government’s work to improve Jamaica’s cybersecurity system, said enforcement can be difficult when attacks are launched from outside the country’s borders, even when local laws are in place.

“We have to encourage our citizens to be very careful and aware of these scams, these attacks that are originating from outside of our jurisdiction, and so that is a responsibility that we all have as citizens to safeguard ourselves from these attacks,” Wheatley told the Jamaica Observer.

He was responding to questions about how useful cybercrime laws can be when offenders are operating across borders. The minister spoke on Wednesday during a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House in St Andrew.

According to Wheatley, the proposed law is expected to help Jamaica work with international partners when cyber criminals are based abroad. However, he said individuals still have to protect themselves from common threats including phishing, account takeovers and ransomware.

“We have agreements in place that will support that. But again, as I said before, we always have scammers trying to hack us, hack into your e-mail [among other things], and so you have a responsibility, if you do not recognise an e-mail, you have to take necessary precautions. I experience it every day, people saying that invoices aren’t paid or your account is locked, and all kinds of stuff like that. So we have to be very vigilant as individuals,” he said.

His comments come as the Government moves to build out Jamaica’s cybersecurity structure. One planned measure is the creation of the National Cyber Security Coordination and Assurance Council (NCCAC), which is intended to bring the country’s cyber assets together under one national framework ahead of cybersecurity legislation.

In his sectoral debate presentation in Parliament on Tuesday, Wheatley said Jamaica urgently needs a stronger policy and legal response. He reported that the country faced more than 49 million attempted cyberattacks last year, compared with 12 million in 2022.

The minister also said the upcoming legislation will formally establish the national cybersecurity directorate, giving Jamaica’s permanent cybersecurity authority a legal basis. He added that the law will provide a system for identifying and protecting critical information infrastructure in areas such as national life, energy, banking, telecommunications, health and Government.

Wheatley said at the time that “it will mandate minimum cybersecurity standards across regulated sectors, with the authority to enforce compliance. It will create clear obligations for incident reporting, responsible disclosure of vulnerabilities, and the regulation of cybersecurity service providers operating in Jamaica.”

On Wednesday, however, he emphasised that cybersecurity is not only a matter for lawmakers and police. He said many attacks succeed because people are persuaded to share private information or open harmful links.

The minister said fraudsters often send convincing e-mails about unpaid invoices, locked accounts or other urgent issues to push users into giving up personal details. He also pointed to ransomware, where criminals block access to accounts or computer systems and demand money before restoring control.

Wheatley noted that bodies such as the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency have responsibility for investigating and prosecuting cybercrime. Still, he said Jamaicans will need both stronger legislation and better public education to reduce the risks.

Describing cybersecurity as a “very dynamic space”, Wheatley said the Government will keep looking at further steps to protect citizens and vital national infrastructure as online threats continue to change.

“They will send things to you that will capture your imagination and pique your interest that will make you say, ‘I want to look’. But if you’re not sure, don’t click. I think that is the message. If you’re not sure, don’t click.”