The Digi Americas Alliance recently released their latest whitepaper entitled, “Information Sharing in LATAM: Understanding the Role of ISACs in the Region.” 

Latin America’s rapid digital transformation has created new economic opportunities but has also heightened the region’s exposure to cyber threats. By 2025, LATAM is projected to face an average of more than 18.5 million cyberattacks annually, with associated costs exceeding $90 million per year. While information sharing is essential for strengthening incident response and threat mitigation, the paper highlights that current efforts in the region remain fragmented. Public and private sectors often operate in silos, limiting collaboration and reducing overall effectiveness.

To address this challenge, the white paper examines the potential for establishing Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) in Latin America. ISACs could play a critical role in fostering regional cooperation, streamlining threat intelligence sharing, and enhancing collective defense capabilities.

‍The Role of ISACs in Strengthening Regional Cybersecurity

The whitepaper provides an in-depth look at ISACs, detailing their governance models, membership benefits, and ability to foster trust among stakeholders. While the paper does not prescribe a one-size-fits-all ISAC structure, it lays out key considerations for LATAM in adopting ISACs tailored to regional needs. Key benefits of an ISAC include improved security posture and collective defense, community based cybersecurity expertise, enhanced community trust and resilience, improved cybersecurity innovation, and enhanced public-private collaboration. ISAC membership offers access to regular meetings and working groups, providing a platform for continuous knowledge exchange through secure channels; conferences and side events to broaden stakeholder engagement; tabletop exercise to assess and improve members cybersecurity readiness; and analysis, helping members understand and prioritize their cybersecurity risk. 

A major recommendation of the report is to not only establish new ISACs in the region but also to leverage existing global ISAC networks. For instance, the FS-ISAC (Financial Services ISAC) has well-developed regional efforts that could provide tailored guidance and support to LATAM’s financial sector. Such collaborations can significantly enhance the effectiveness of cybersecurity initiatives in the region.‍

ISACs and Policy Alignment in LATAM

The paper also underscores how ISACs can align with existing policy initiatives aimed at strengthening digital governance and public-private collaboration. A key example is Chile’s newly implemented national cybersecurity policy, which promotes risk management and enhanced incident response through partnerships between the public and private sectors. ISACs can serve as a structured and trusted platform for sharing threat intelligence, directly supporting the objectives of such policies. 

It is important to note that cybersecurity policies vary significantly in their stages of development across LATAM countries, resulting in significant cybersecurity maturity gaps throughout the region. According to ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Index, Mexico received a cyber preparedness score of 81.75 while Honduras received a score of 2.2, demonstrating the stark contrast in cybersecurity readiness across the region. ISACs can help to bridge these disparities by sharing lessons learned and encouraging less mature entities to take proactive steps in enhancing their resilience. 

ISACs also play a vital role in addressing another significant regional challenge:cyber talent development and retention. Educating the general public on cyber initiatives, opportunities, and basic skill sets has the potential to create job opportunities for the 60% of workers across the region whose employment is informal. By fostering a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing, ISACs can help enhance cybersecurity education initiatives, equipping the workforce with critical skills to combat evolving threats. This community-driven approach ensures that cybersecurity expertise remains strong within the region, reducing talent gaps over time.

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The Digi Americas Alliance’s whitepaper presents a compelling case for expanding ISAC engagement in Latin America. As the region grapples with rising cyber threats and seeks more effective information-sharing mechanisms, ISACs offer a scalable, trusted, and community-driven solution. Whether by establishing new ISACs or integrating with global networks, LATAM has an opportunity to bolster its cyber resilience, strengthen trust among stakeholders, and enhance its overall security posture.

By fostering collaboration and structured information sharing, ISACs can play a transformative role in safeguarding Latin America’s digital future. The key now is for governments, businesses, and industry leaders to take action and embrace the ISAC model as an essential component of regional cybersecurity strategy.

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