Ecuador Passes Cybersecurity Law — Mandatory Digital Security Education, Incident Reporting, and New Enforcement Framework

Ecuador now has a comprehensive cybersecurity law — and it affects more than just tech companies.

The National Assembly approved the Organic Law for Strengthening Cybersecurity with 82 votes, creating Ecuador’s first unified legal framework for preventing, detecting, and responding to cyber incidents.

What the Law Requires

Mandatory Education

Schools, colleges, and universities must implement mandatory programs in digital security, cybersecurity, and personal data protection. The rationale: human error is the leading cause of security incidents, and prevention starts in the classroom.

Incident Reporting

Organizations — public and private — must report security incidents within specified timeframes to activate rapid response protocols. This is similar to data breach notification laws in the EU (GDPR) and several U.S. states.

Critical Infrastructure Catalog

The government will create a national catalog of critical digital infrastructure with mandatory minimum security standards for all public entities. Banks, utilities, and telecommunications companies will have sector-specific requirements.

Coordination Structure

The law establishes national coordination mechanisms for incident response, integrating:

• Digital transformation agencies
• Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs)
• Security entities
• Sector regulators (banking superintendency, data protection authority)

International Alignment

The law is built on ISO 27000 standards and NIST cybersecurity frameworks — the same benchmarks used by the United States, European Union, and most developed nations. It also aligns with the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, the primary international treaty for internet governance.

What This Means for Expats

• Your data gets more protection: If you use Ecuadorian banks, IESS, SRI, or any government platform, organizations handling your data now have legal obligations to protect it and report breaches
• Business owners take note: If you run a business in Ecuador — even a small one — you may have incident reporting obligations under the new law. Consult with a local attorney on compliance requirements
• Banking security: The banking superintendency will set sector-specific cybersecurity requirements. This should improve the security of online banking platforms, which have been targets for fraud
• Education impact: If you have children in Ecuadorian schools, they’ll be receiving cybersecurity education as part of the curriculum — a genuinely useful addition
• Context: Ecuador has experienced several high-profile data breaches in recent years, including a massive 2019 leak that exposed personal data of virtually the entire population. This law is a direct response to those vulnerabilities

Sources: Infobae, Teleamazonas