Cybersecurity dangers differ from nation to nation depending on a range of elements, including the degree of technological advancement, the structure of the legal system, and the frequency of cybercrime. The two countries that I will hold in comparison in regard to cybersecurity risks are the United States and China.

The United States is one of the most technologically developed nations in the world and has one of the top advanced digital economies. However, due to this characteristic, the U.S. is more vulnerable to cyberattacks. The vulnerabilities presented in the system are susceptible to risks like phishing attacks, ransomware, and insider threats. Phishing attacks are, essentially, the most common scheme utilized by cybercriminals to obtain confidential information such as passwords, social security numbers, and financial information. A great example of a phishing attack that I continue to witness is the WhatsApp phishing scams. These scams involve a scammer trying to gain access to a victim’s account by adding their (the scammer) device as an authorized device on the victim’s account. The authorization is acquired by the scammer trying to receive the six-digit code that activates the device. As technology continues to progress, the United States has seen an increase in advanced phishing attacks that can be quite difficult to detect.

Another significant global power with a booming digital economy is China. However, when it comes to the cybersecurity risks in China, they may share similarities with the United States, but they also share some contrasting characteristics. An example of a risk that takes place in China is State-Sponsored hacking, which is the action of targeting the government corporations and agencies of other countries to exchange secrets, intellectual property, and other confidential information. Another risk would be industrial espionage, which consists of cybercriminals stealing confidential information from business competitors which may include every piece of information from customer information to development plans.