I recently had the pleasure of attending the annual Digi Americas Alliance LATAM CISO Summit in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, where more than  200 executive cyber leaders gathered to address the region’s most pressing cyber challenges.

The event’s programming featured panel and keynote sessions tackling the most urgent cybersecurity issues in Latin America, including:

• The increasing number of attacks.
• The need for enhanced information sharing and threat detection.
• The cybersecurity workforce gaps.

Throughout the entirety of the summit, its participants remained actively engaged, highlighting the urgent need to address these issues in the region.

Keynote Highlights: A Decisive Decade for Cybersecurity

Harry Coker, Jr., National Cyber Director at the White House, addressed the crowd framing this period as a "decisive decade" for shaping a secure digital future. His call for "digital solidarity" resonated with the audience, emphasizing that the fight against cyber threats requires international collaboration. Coker highlighted Costa Rica’s swift response to the Conti ransomware attack as a model of resilience and noted that cybersecurity is both a national and regional issue, demanding global cooperation to ensure prosperity and safety.

Shawn Henry, Chief Security Officer at CrowdStrike, also gave a keynote address emphasizing the escalating cyber threat activity in the Latin American region, where adversaries have become increasingly sophisticated. Henry underscored the importance of proactive planning, integrating intelligence, and prioritizing resilience. He noted that the velocity and stealth of attacks in 2024 are forcing organizations to rethink their strategies and focus more on business continuity and crisis management.

Engaging Panel Discussions

The summit’s panel discussions covered a broad range of critical topics, reflecting the unique challenges and opportunities in the region. A key theme was the evolving cyber threat landscape in Latin America, with experts highlighting the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks and the importance of strong incident response and organizational resilience. Discussions also delved into cloud security, where panelists emphasized the importance of building trust through transparency and adhering to the shared responsibility model as more organizations move to cloud-based solutions.

Artificial intelligence has emerged as both a transformative tool and a potential threat. In particular, the panel on generative AI examined how it could enhance cybersecurity defenses while also giving rise to new dangers like AI-generated malware and deep fakes. Another pressing topic was the region’s growing cybersecurity skills gap. Experts stressed the urgency of upskilling current teams and fostering the next generation of cybersecurity professionals through public-private partnerships and educational initiatives.

The summit also explored the practicalities of establishing cybersecurity centers in Latin America, where collaboration between government agencies, private companies, and international partners was key to overcoming early-stage challenges and ensuring success. This panel offered concrete examples of how these partnerships are laying the foundation for more resilient cybersecurity ecosystems across the region.

A Platform for Collaboration

One of the most important takeaways from the LATAM CISO Summit was the emphasis on collaboration. Across keynotes and panels, it was clear that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. The role of public-private partnerships, cross-border collaboration, and government action was repeatedly highlighted as critical in advancing the regional cyber agenda. The summit also showcased the importance of foundational cybersecurity practices, which remain essential even in an era of rapid technological advancements.

Looking Forward

The LATAM CISO Summit in Costa Rica served as an essential platform for addressing pressing cyber challenges in the region and fostering collaboration among industry leaders. The discussions highlighted the need for both proactive strategies and practical action. In addition to the insightful panels and keynotes, the summit also provided invaluable networking opportunities, where cybersecurity professionals from across Latin America and the Caribbean connected to share experiences, best practices, and forge new partnerships. As threats continue to evolve, the collective commitment demonstrated at the summit underscores the importance of building a resilient and secure digital future for Latin America.

We look forward to next year’s summit in Rio de Janeiro, where these critical conversations will continue, ensuring that Latin America remains at the forefront of the global cybersecurity dialogue.

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