Enhancing the National Security Posture in Costa Rica with an Integrated Approach

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In 2022, a series of cyberattacks disrupted critical government services in Costa Rica. The extent of the attack and disruption to the economy led the newly elected president to announce a national state of emergency. The attacks highlighted the lack of a national cybersecurity infrastructure in Costa Rica and in Latin America in general. To prevent future attacks, the Costa Rican government started to work towards defining a national cybersecurity strategy.  

Building a national strategy for cybersecurity resilience

In 2023, Costa Rica’s science, innovation, technology and telecommunications ministry (MICITT) Published a draft of the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2023-27. The strategy aims to foster a security-conscious culture, enhance response capabilities, and promote cybersecurity innovation to shield the nation’s stability, economy, and digital systems. The initiative drives progress towards a more secure and competitive era for Costa Rica. 

From strategy to reality: national capability building for cyber resilience

Policies mean nothing if they are left on the shelf gathering dust. The MICITT National Cybersecurity Strategy also focuses on implementing the policies – building cyber awareness and strengthening the cyber-DNA of society.  

One of the industries requiring support in adopting cybersecurity measures is Agriculture. MICITT decided to support businesses in this area by providing cyber training. Cytek Security, together with sister company Elev8 was selected to perform the training after suggesting a unique concept in the tender. The unique capability-building model proposed augments cyber training with tailored consulting services to facilitate the implementation of tools and practices learned.  

This model builds business owners’ cyber resilience by providing them with knowledge and support in their efforts to take ownership of their security posture.  

The integrated training-advisory and implementation program has several stages: 

1. Training and access to educational resources. 

2. Cyber audit – a structured, guided, self-administered cyber audit that maps the business-specific needs and status. The audit covers business processes, IT infrastructure, network infrastructure, existing security tools, and more.  

3. Tailored cybersecurity plan – based on the audit, Cytek cybersecurity experts create a business-specific plan to boost the business’s security posture. The plan addresses both tools and processes.  

An integrated approach to build cyber resilience

Based on its first-hand experience of the havoc that cyber-attacks wreaked on the economy, the Costa Rican government realized the critical importance of organizations’ cyber resilience and preparedness. By combining cyber training with expert advisory and implementation guidance, the Costa Rica government is helping businesses ensure they are better protected from attacks and take ownership of their cyber-DNA. </p>

Contact us to learn more about how Cytek can help build national cyber resilience.  

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