ACKNOWLEDGING that legislation alone will not be enough to protect against cyberattacks, minister with responsibility for science, technology and special projects Dr Andrew Wheatley is urging Jamaicans to become more technologically savvy, arguing that individual vigilance remains one of the strongest defences against transnational threats.

While defending the Government’s efforts to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity framework, Wheatley said many cyber attacks originate outside the jurisdiction, making enforcement challenging even where legal protections exist.

“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, in response to questions about the effectiveness of cybercrime legislation against transnational offenders.