Sub-regional training on Cyber-Security in Guatemala

The Cyber Security Program entered a new phase of activities with its first sub-regional training on the “Fundamentals for the Creation and Management of a CSIRT”, held in Antigua, Guatemala, from April 7-11.  The seminar was organized by the CICTE Secretariat in conjunction with Guatemala’s Superintendencia para Telecomunicaciones (SIT), and was attended by over 30 representatives of the governments of Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.  The majority of these attendees have technical and/or policy-oriented responsibilities relating to the development of their national cyber security infrastructure, including the creation and development of a national Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT).  CICTE partners, including the Government of Brazil (DSIC), the Government of Uruguay (ANTEL), CERT-CC / Carnegie Mellon University, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and others, collaborated to provide in-depth and focused technical training on a range of issues relevant to building an effective national CSIRT, and to guide country delegates in identifying potential solutions and tools that can help them overcome the key challenges confronting their respective countries.  

On the final day of the seminar, the host country of Guatemala presented the Carta de Antigua, an unofficial but nonetheless important commitment by those in attendance to preserve and build on the commitment enshrined in the Carta de Brasilia of June 2007 to promote cooperation and collaboration to strengthen national and regional mechanisms for cyber security. The Carta de Antigua was signed by the representatives of Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Panama, as well as Brazil and Uruguay. 

The CICTE Secretariat is now finalizing preparations for the second sub-regional training on the “Fundamentals for the Creation and Management of a CSIRT”, which will take place in Bogota, Colombia, from May 6-9 and bring together appropriate representatives of the Andean countries as well as Paraguay.  A third sub-regional training along the aforementioned lines will be organized in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat and IMPACS for the Caribbean region and will take place in July or August of this year.  For additional information: Ms. Lilia Moraes, lmoraes@oas.org .