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Peru
Peru has a modest knowledge economy, although its government is looking to further boost funding in science, technology and innovation as a way to contribute to economic growth. As the Peruvian economy undergoes digital transformation, it’s necessary to ensure that economic assets in cyberspace remain secure.
Views of Lima © Matthew Barker, Peru For Less 2009
Key Facts
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R&D Investments
Patent Applications
Cybersecurity Agency
Peru's growing knowledge economy places it at modest risk for economic cyber-espionage. However, the country's focus on “soft IP” and its still-developing science, technology, and innovation infrastructure limit its overall attractiveness as a target for sophisticated cyber threat actors seeking high-value intellectual property.
In Peru, IP-intensive sectors generate anywhere between 20-25% of national GDP, but 92% of IP produced is in the form of ‘soft IP’: patents and trademarks. In the past 10 years, the most IP-intensive sectors have been food chemistry (23.2%) and materials chemistry (17.3%). Since 2011, the Peruvian Government has integrated science, technology and innovation (STI) into its policies, recognising them as crucial instruments for economic development. The creation of a special commission in 2011 led to the ‘New policy and institutional framework to boost Peruvian STI’ in 2012. Ongoing efforts include attracting human capital and facilitating investment in knowledge-intensive sectors through SINACYT (the National System of Science, Technology and Technological Innovation). CONCYTEC oversees SINACYT, coordinating and evaluating state actions, and the National Digital Repository, ALICIA, provides open access to IP generated in STI.
Peru's international and scientific partnerships, along with dependence on foreign ICT equipment, place it at a modest risk of cyber-enabled IP theft due to the potential exploitation of its digital infrastructure and insufficient cybersecurity measures. Peru’s engagement with the international community is defined by economic pragmatism and the need to meet the nation’s development needs. It maintains a cooperative relationship with China and signed an FTA in 2018. Cybersecurity issues aren’t explicitly addressed in the FTA or in adjacent arrangements. In the realm of STI, Peru has forged numerous agreements with OECD countries, but none mentions the risk of IP theft. Peru seeks commercial and technological advantages from agreements and conventions with different OECD countries and through membership of the World Trade Organization, the Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and the Andean Community. Conforming with international standards for trade, investment and cybersecurity would be favourable to the development of the country.
Peru’s efforts to respond to the threat of economic cyber-espionage are undermined by challenges associated with IP protection, cybersecurity and corruption. Public discourse on IP issues is limited, despite government attempts to build awareness about IP. Indecopi has been proactive in promoting IP awareness to universities and the business community. Collaborative dialogues between the government and industry, organised by institutions such as the Lima Chamber of Commerce, focus on IP rights and how to register IP.
The cybersecurity environment is becoming riskier for organisations, but there’s also growing awareness. In the SME-Peru Digital Adoption Survey conducted by Movistar Empresas, 63% of the companies surveyed said that they plan to implement cybersecurity solutions to protect their devices, networks and computer systems.
Peru has the legal foundations to defend its cyberspace against cyber-enabled IP theft. The creation of the Specialized Cybercrime Prosecution Unit and ratification of the Budapest Convention demonstrate Peru’s commitment to combating cyber threats. The National Authority for the Protection of Personal Data has the authority to sanction companies for privacy breaches. Those regulations are supported by a governance structure led by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Through the National Digital Security Centre, it directs cybersecurity matters for the government. It also works with the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, the National Intelligence Directorate, the Peruvian National Police, the Association of Banks of Peru and the Digital Government Secretariat to develop technical analysis of the cybersecurity environment and cybersecurity advisories.
While those structures exist, Peru lacks sufficient strategic direction. It doesn’t have a national cybersecurity policy, which would guide the protection of critical information infrastructure and set cybersecurity standards for organisations in the country. Ongoing dialogue between the government and industry, spearheaded by institutions such as the Chamber of Commerce, aims to build cybersecurity awareness in industry. Universities are also responding to the growing need by offering specialised programs in cybersecurity. Most government engagement tends to focus on awareness building. Despite those efforts, government engagement with industry and universities continues to be limited. There’s little sharing of threat information.
Efforts to defend the Peruvian economy from economic cyber-espionage are undermined by political and economic crises. In addition, serious indications of corruption and functional misconduct among high authorities, former presidents and decentralised authorities exacerbate Peru’s vulnerabilities to cyber-enabled foreign economic interference.
Reported cases of economic cyber-espionage
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