The National Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (INTIC) is to set up a Cyber Security Observatory this year to combat online crime. INTIC is also preparing draft laws to curb online scams.

In the first half of last year alone, the Attorney General's Office received 278 cases related to cybercrime.

"We have some data obtained from partner entities such as the Attorney General's Office. For example, until the first half of 2022, around 278 cases were registered, which is an increase compared to the same period in 2021, when there were 216.

So here we have a rise of around 28% which also has around 26 defendants and others are still in progress," said Eugénio Jeremias, director of the Cyber Security and Data Protection division at the National Institute of Information and Communication Technology, quoted by O País.

Later this year, INTIC will create the Cyber Security Observatory, which will bring together various stakeholders and systematize essential and strategic information.

"The Cyber Security Observatory will include all the entities that produce information in this area of information and communications technologies. For example, we're going to work with the National Statistics Institute.

This will be an online platform that citizens can access to search for data. Reports will be produced on cyber security incidents," said Eugénio Jeremias.

INTIC also wants to be represented in other provinces throughout the country.