The Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT) has warned that careless online habits are putting scores of Jamaicans and businesses at serious risk, as cybercrime mushrooms into a trillion-dollar global industry.

Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday, the start of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Godphey Sterling, director of the CIRT said while technology has rapidly advanced, the attitudes of many Jamaicans towards online security remain “dangerously casual”.

He cautioned that everyday mistakes such as weak passwords, oversharing on social media, and insecure data storage are giving cybercriminals easy access to sensitive information.“So for the general public, the idea is to stop being a cyber-delinquent, appreciate that you live in a digital environment, you’re a digital citizen, whether you’re a native or a tenant, and to ensure that those devices that you use are no longer the Nokia 3310s,” said Sterling.

“You carry your lives in your pockets. So if you have to use it, then lock it and take it with you and, for businesses, understand that data is your new currency, and you must securely collect, store, and transmit that data, but you must also get rid of it in a demonstrable and secure manner when you no longer use it”added Sterling.

He pointed out that many of the most serious breaches investigated by the CIRT were not the result of sophisticated attacks, but rather basic mistakes.

“When we look at some of the most egregious breaches that we have responded to, it comes down to misconfiguration of permanent security systems. What does that say to us? It’s either that the systems were not set up properly, either through the use of persons not qualified to do it or just cutting corners. But in the end, your data was at risk and when we look at our personal systems, it’s how we approach the digitally enabled world we live in,” he explained.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Sterling noted that Jamaica sees just over three million daily Internet connections, with more than 70 per cent accessed via mobile devices. He added that more than half of these connections originate from single IP addresses, indicating that many individuals are using multiple devices to go online.

He argued that these habits demonstrate how deeply Jamaicans are connected to the digital world, underscoring the need to be more cautious in how they navigate it.

The CIRT director also highlighted the growing impact of smart devices, noting that the Internet of Things (IoT) is “always listening to you”, collecting and transmitting data to build user profiles.

“The smart doorbell, the smart door lock, the smart speaker, the smart fridge, the smart washer. For these things to be smart, they’re always listening to you. So even though you’re not giving it instructions, it is listening, it is digesting, it is transmitting so that it can build a profile and find an algorithm to better serve you, but where does that data go?”

Sterling also pointed to the influence of international conflicts on cybercrime, noting that hostile actors often target countries seen as “soft” or unprepared.

“If we recall the start of the Russia-Ukraine War, all the known actors then chose a side. When we look at the Palestine, Israel, and to some extent, the Hezbollah conflict in the Middle East, all their actors are targeting each other and allies of those parties to the conflict,” he explained.

This, Sterling warned, increases the likelihood of spillover attacks on smaller nations such as Jamaica, especially as cybercrime now rivals the largest economies in the world.

Beyond global threats, Sterling stressed that much of Jamaica’s vulnerability lies in the careless online behaviour of ordinary citizens. Oversharing on social media, reusing passwords, or using unsecured public Wi-Fi, he said, create easy entry points for criminals.

“The short answer is that we think it won’t happen to us…[and] we don’t take enough time to understand the technology we’re trying to use and to understand the responsibility to those we’re providing services to, or whose data we’re collecting, in order to do that in a safe and secure manner,” he expressed.

However, Sterling said the greatest barrier to strengthening Jamaica’s defences is the reluctance of victims to come forward.

“We must report it because us at the CIRT cannot manage what we can’t measure [and] that low or no reporting is our biggest challenge to cybersecurity,” he said.

Marking the 10th anniversary of the CIRT, Sterling said this year’s activities will place emphasis on changing mindsets across Government, businesses and individuals. The aim, he explained, is not just to raise awareness but also to develop a sustainable pipeline of local professionals who can protect Jamaica’s digital space.

“Government can’t do it alone. If as individuals we practise good habits and take them into the businesses, then we will drive the change to have better policies, better systems, and better ability to recognise when challenges occur,” said Sterling.