ESET Security Day Venezuela: Experts reveal that one-third of companies lack basic protection

The radical transformation of digital crime has forced corporations to abandon static security schemes. In response to this situation, the fifteenth edition of ESET Security Day, one of the most significant annual technology events held in the Venezuelan capital, took place to showcase the new cybersecurity paradigm, where attacks have ceased to be isolated incidents and have become automated operations enhanced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools.

Michele Flammia, General Manager of ESET Venezuela, highlighted the value of these informative forums for protecting the region’s business ecosystem. During the event, the brand’s specialists demonstrated, through a live simulation, how modern groups operate and how technologies such as XDR (Extended Detection and Response) and threat intelligence allow for action before the impact materializes.

Innovation in response and strategic advantages

Camila Oliveira, Channel Manager of ESET LATAM (currently based in the regional office in Argentina), addressed cybersecurity as a competitive advantage, inspired by Stephen Covey’s bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. During his presentation, he detailed the capabilities of the continuous training programs (AARNES) and the value of the managed detection service:

“We want companies to understand that technology and cybersecurity are not an expense, but an investment. ESET’s Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service has the shortest detection time on the market. Competitors use this technology differently, as they don’t offer 24/7 support and their response times are longer,” Oliveira emphasized.

The democratization of attacks through Artificial Intelligence

David González, Security Researcher at ESET Mexico, delivered a keynote address on the impact of generative AI models since the arrival of ChatGPT, a platform that has already reached 400 million users. The expert warned that this widespread adoption has led to a dangerous reduction in the technical barrier for criminals:

“In the cybercriminal world, we are witnessing a democratization of capabilities. It is no longer necessary to possess advanced technical knowledge to carry out an attack; AI allows for the generation of malicious code or the compromise of organizations in a matter of minutes. Time is working against the defenders,” González warned. Given this, he urged organizations to adopt the Diamond Model to dynamically analyze four key aspects of the adversary: ​​infrastructure, capabilities (such as zero-day exploits), victims, and the attacker’s motivations.

An unprotected market against autonomous attacks

For his part, José Luis Rangel, Commercial Manager of  ESET Venezuela warned about the growing interest of digital criminal organizations in targeting critical sectors such as healthcare, energy, and telecommunications using autonomous AI agents. Rangel posed a direct question to the companies and attendees: “What are you doing? It is important that we consider what the organization is doing to prepare before an attack occurs.”

Finally, Carlos López, Pre-Sales Manager at ESET Venezuela, provided critical metrics on corporate neglect in the face of technological evolution over the last 15 years. He explained that between 35 % and 37 % of companies lack basic defenses, and only 41 % have proactive detection and response capabilities.

In addition, 39 % of firms do not have a defined policy for the use of artificial intelligence, which facilitates data breaches. The regional situation reflects that one in four organizations in Latin America does not implement basic security measures, 51 % report having suffered incidents, and it is estimated that an attack occurs every 39 seconds globally.

The speakers emphasized that companies can no longer rely on reactive solutions, which compels corporate leaders to become directly involved in cyber defense and adopt advanced visibility tools to neutralize threats before suffering irreversible financial impacts.

For more information, visit the ESET website: https://www.eset.com/ve/. You can also follow them on social media: Instagram (@esetla) and Facebook (ESET).

Thanks to on-site coverage, more information from ESET and Comstat Rowland Comunicaciones Estratégicas Integrales.

Audiovisual production: Jesús Ramírez

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