The Argentinian National Institute of Statistics and Census
| Primary URL | Location | Industry | www[.]indec[.]gob[.]ar |
Country
Argentina
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Government - National
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Profile
The Argentinian National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) is the official government body responsible for producing national statistics and conducting censuses in Argentina. Its core services include the collection, analysis, and publication of demographic, economic, and social data. The institute's outputs inform governmental policy, academic research, and business decisions across the country. It operates as the central authority for statistical matters under Argentine law. INDEC maintains digital infrastructure to support its data processes and public access, including online platforms and internal systems. The organization's work encompasses regular surveys, economic indicators, and the population census. Its data is used for international reporting and national planning. The institute serves as the primary source of official statistics for Argentina. Its mandate requires methodological rigor and data integrity. The organization conducts data collection activities nationwide to fulfill its statutory functions.
On December 5, 2022, INDEC suffered a cyber incident where malware compromised its hosting server and user validation system. The virus was present in a periodic backup and activated during a scheduled backup operation. It encrypted the virtual machine handling internal user authentication, prompting the institute to take its website offline and disconnect additional servers. This precautionary measure aimed to prevent further spread and assess the breach. The incident caused temporary disruption to system availability and user access to online services. INDEC achieved operational recovery after conducting security testing and restoring affected systems. The event demonstrated the vulnerability of critical statistical infrastructure to cyber threats. The institute's response involved isolating compromised components and verifying system integrity before resuming operations. The disruption was publicly noted through archival reports, though technical details remain scarce. This incident highlights the cybersecurity challenges faced by national data agencies.