Duke Cybersecurity Students Contribute to Groundbreaking Report on Financial Sector Resilience in Latin America

A team of graduate students and alumni from Duke University’s Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity program has played a pivotal role in developing a new international report on cybersecurity in the financial sector, published by the Digital Americas Policy Institute.

The report, titled “Cybersecurity in the Financial Sector: Strengthening Resilience for Inclusive Growth,” highlights the growing cyber threats facing financial institutions in emerging markets and proposes a roadmap for building more secure and inclusive digital financial systems.

According to the report, “The LATAM Threat Landscape research from Duke University, utilizing data from Recorded Future’s Intelligence Graph, discusses the three principal threat-actor groups that are targeting the Latin American financial sector and the suggested controls that can be implemented to avert cyber-attacks and mitigate their impact. “

“This collaboration exemplifies Duke’s commitment to interdisciplinary, real-world impact,” said Art Ehuan, Executive Director of the Duke Cybersecurity Master of Engineering. “Our students are not only learning from the best — they’re helping shape the future of global cybersecurity policy.”  The Cybersecurity graduates who contributed to this research are: Rupal Kharod, Justin Hayes, Emmanuel Petrov, Sakthi Vinayak, Shefali Ahuja, Aditya Srikar, Lucy Li, and Diego Sanchez. Justin, who graduated from the program two months ago, presented the report in Mexico City, on June 17.

The report, available at Digital Americas, shows key considerations including:

• Rising Threats: Financial institutions in developing economies are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks; however, many lack the necessary resources and expertise to respond effectively.
• Regulatory Gaps: Many financial services firms lack staff with proper cybersecurity skills or sufficient technical expertise, leaving critical vulnerabilities unaddressed.
• Support Services: While some regions have begun developing cybersecurity support services for financial institutions, these are often fragmented, underfunded, or inaccessible to smaller providers.
• Capacity Building: The report emphasizes the need for regional cybersecurity hubs, public-private partnerships, and targeted training programs to build institutional resilience.
• Inclusive Growth: Strengthening cybersecurity is not just about risk mitigation — it’s essential for expanding access to digital financial services and promoting economic inclusion.