Joint statement issued by U.S.-Mexico Working Group on cyber issues

WASHINGTON – The U.S.-Mexico Working Group on Cyber Issues has released a joint statement following a bilateral cyber dialogue on their shared commitment to a secure and stable internet.

In the note issued by the U.S. Office of the Spokesperson for the Department of State, it refers to the meeting held on August 10 as, “…its first bilateral cyber dialogue since the establishment of the U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities.” And goes on to say that the meeting’s main objective was to advance bi-lateral cooperation on cyber issues facing the countries.

“Cybersecurity is an area that is becoming increasingly relevant for society. During the meeting, the delegations addressed various aspects of each country’s institutional structure and strategy for dealing with threats in cyberspace,” The Department of State wrote. “They also discussed institutional capabilities to prevent and counter cyber crime, as well as efforts to foster a greater culture of cybersecurity awareness and cyber hygiene. In addition, the two delegations discussed specific cooperation efforts in cyber defense and cybersecurity, including the protection of critical infrastructure.”

The U.S. has been increasingly pitted against state actors from Russia and China attacking both public and private infrastructure. Tensions have only increased in that realm in recent months with the U.S.’s ongoing support of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. This month U.S. Cyber Command deployed a team of operators to Croatia to sniff out malicious cyber activity in the region. “This kind of partnership in cybersecurity is essential in today’s world as it expands our reach and capabilities,” Director of the Croatian Security and Intelligence Agency Daniel Markić said. “We face the same adversaries and threat actors in cyberspace, and we both gain and share valuable insights into cyber resilience as it has become the key objective for national security.”

Of the $6 trillion worldwide in cybercrime costs, the U.S. lost $6.9 billion to various cybercrimes. It was roughly as high as $7.7 billion for Mexico. In the CyberEdge group 2022 Cyberthreat Defense Report in a poll across multiple countries and seven major industries, 90.6 percent of Mexican companies reported being the victim of cybercrime, the fourth highest on the list. The U.S. was tenth on the list with 86.8 percent reporting. 

“Both governments committed to continue strengthening cooperation to build a more secure, resilient region and expand collaboration to address shared threats in cyberspace.” The Department of State wrote. “These efforts will bolster the ability of the two countries’ societies and economies to benefit from the opportunities that new digital and information technologies offer.”

The full statement can be found at www.state.gov/joint-statement-on-u-s-mexico-working-group-on-cyber-issues/.