With over 1,100 attendees and 12 presentations, the 3rd International Cybersecurity Congress, under the theme “The Future of Cybersecurity is Agentic,” organized by the Venezuelan Banking Association (Asobanca), solidified its position as one of the leading regional forums for discussion on digital security. It demonstrated the growing interest of organizations in strengthening the protection of their technological resources and preparing for an increasingly demanding business environment aligned with international standards.

In a context of new opportunities for the country, where digital transformation and eventual integration with international markets demand higher standards of protection, the Congress brought together international experts from countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Panama, as well as national experts, to discuss the main emerging risks, new cyber threats, and the capabilities that organizations must develop to protect their operations.

During the opening of the Congress, Pedro Pacheco Rodríguez, executive president of the Venezuelan Banking Association (Asobanca), highlighted the speed at which the technological environment is evolving and the impact this has on corporate security strategies.

“In the last edition, the central theme was Artificial Intelligence (AI), and in just one year we already have to talk about artificial intelligence agents (AIAs),” he stated, referring to a new technological stage in which systems no longer just respond to instructions, but also plan, decide, and execute tasks autonomously.

One of the first warnings came from Rafael Núñez, CEO of Más Que Seguridad, who cautioned about the advancement of agentic AI for both defense and attack. He explained that while traditional hacking required high levels of technical expertise, today there are systems capable of perceiving, reasoning, and planning actions autonomously, lowering barriers for attackers and exponentially increasing the attack surface.

He also warned of a paradigm shift: the attack surface is no longer limited to traditional malware, but extends to the logical manipulation of systems, in a context where digital fraud is becoming increasingly industrialized and sophisticated.

Núñez emphasized that the Asobanca event and its convening had indeed positioned itself as a major, regionally recognized event on digital security.

From a forensic perspective, Pascual González Rodríguez, head of investigations and supervisor of the Computer Crimes Division of the Scientific, Criminal and Forensic Investigations Corps (CICPC) and former member of Interpol’s Americas Group against Cybercrime, highlighted the role of digital forensics in strengthening investigations and responses to cyber incidents. “Every attack leaves a trace; we must know how to read and interpret them,” he stated, while warning about the sustained growth of incidents in Venezuela and the increase in users exposed by data leaks and vulnerabilities in technological platforms.

The discussion analyzed how artificial intelligence agents (AIAs), new attack models, and quantum computing are transforming the protection of digital ecosystems

Among other presentations, Karina Bierkamp, ​​cybersecurity manager at Setrys, offered a perspective on the Venezuelan context. She asserted that many organizations are vulnerable not due to a lack of tools, but rather to mindset problems and poor practices. During her presentation, she warned about the high level of exposure of leaked credentials and vulnerabilities in application programming interfaces (APIs), which have become potential channels for information leaks. “Hackers don’t need to be geniuses to get in because they’re often already inside,” she cautioned.

The human factor also took center stage at the Congress. Juan Camilo Reyes (Colombia), Vice President of Business Development for Cybersecurity and Fraud in South America at Mastercard, noted that phishing remains one of the most persistent threats worldwide and that, in many cases, a single wrong click is enough to compromise entire security efforts. He also drew attention to the disconnect that still exists between fraud and cybersecurity teams within organizations, pointing out that working in silos limits the ability to anticipate and respond to incidents.

From IBM, Yonathan Ledo (Ecuador) and Alexander Patarra (Brazil) addressed the impact of quantum computing on current cryptographic systems, warning of the urgent need to move toward crypto-agile processes capable of identifying cryptographic assets and planning transitions to new algorithms resistant to future threats. “This isn’t just for banks; it affects the entire industry. Cryptography is everywhere,” they pointed out, emphasizing that the challenge is no longer just protecting future data, but also the data that organizations currently safeguard.

Learning from what happened to Digitel and Cashea

While the presentations provided insight into the evolution of threats, the panel “From Vulnerability to Strength: Lessons from Cyberattacks” grounded the conversation in real-world experiences, demonstrating how a cybersecurity crisis unfolds and is managed after an attack has already occurred.

During the discussion, representatives from Cashea and Digitel openly shared the lessons learned from facing real incidents, addressing operational, technical, reputational, and communication decisions.

On behalf of Cashea, Ernesto Vincelli (Argentina) highlighted the importance of communicating the incident early to the community and users to alert them to potential secondary risks, reinforce official channels, and maintain trust. “One of the most difficult, yet most important, decisions was communication,” he explained, adding that the company decided to publish a post-mortem technical report detailing what happened and reaffirming that paying ransoms is not a viable solution.

On behalf of Digitel, Gabriel Díaz acknowledged that the organization was unprepared to face an incident of this magnitude when it occurred. The company suffered disruptions to its digital channels and compromised internal accounts, a situation that forced it to implement deep cleanup processes, recreate access credentials, and rethink its security policies. Beyond the technological aspects, Díaz emphasized that the main challenge was cultural and organizational, recognizing that the lack of investment and prior preparation created significant vulnerabilities. Based on this experience, he explained, the organization strengthened its capabilities by creating a cybersecurity committee, conducting regular drills, performing black-box and white-box analysis, and implementing new response frameworks.

The panel reached a clear conclusion: cyberattacks are no longer a hypothetical scenario, but a real possibility that demands preparation, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration within organizations.

A human and emotional perspective through music

To close the day, Elisa Vegas, director of the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Symphony Orchestra, presented the immersive experience “What Does a Cyberattack Sound Like?”, a performance that led the audience to reflect on cybersecurity from a human and emotional perspective. Through music, she reminded them that behind every technological threat there are also people, teams, and decisions, highlighting the importance of communication and teamwork as essential elements for facing any crisis.

Concluding the day, Pedro Pacheco Rodríguez, president of Asobanca, announced the fourth edition of the International Cybersecurity Congress, to be held on May 27, 2027.

With information from Asobanca, other international and national media, and social networks  

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ESET Venezuela successfully held its 9th Technology Breakfast with media outlets and journalists specializing in cybersecurity, an essential meeting to analyze digital risks and redefine corporate protection in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The event focused on dismantling misconceptions, highlighting the need for a comprehensive protection strategy, and addressing social responsibility.

Demystifying digital defense

Michele Flammia, General Manager of ESET Venezuela, began the discussion by refuting common myths. He warned that the belief that only computers require protection, ignoring mobile phones, exposes users to serious risks, especially when downloading applications from unofficial sources or granting excessive permissions.

Flammia emphasized that cybersecurity is not the sole responsibility of the company’s IT (Information Technology) department, but rather a culture that must permeate the entire organization. He also dismissed the idea that users and SMEs “have nothing of value,” pointing out that intellectual property and personal information are prized assets for attackers.

Therefore, he recommended maintaining strong passwords and using multi-factor authentication as basic and mandatory measures.

The high cost of corporate vulnerability

Carlos López Rodríguez, Support and Training Manager at ESET Venezuela, presented compelling figures. The specialist revealed that the average global cost of a security breach is $4.44 million, a figure that increases to $4.9 million if the incident is caused by malicious insiders.

López emphasized the need to address reported vulnerabilities, citing cases where security flaws remained uncorrected for years, even in large corporations like Telefónica (affected by the WannaCry ransomware in 2017). He warned that one in six attacks is now powered by Artificial Intelligence, making prevention more critical than ever.

“If an organization has a vulnerability that was reported seven years ago and does nothing to fix it, something is happening at every level,” López stated, arguing that inaction is a global risk.

The expert highlighted that modern AI-based tools can save companies up to $1.9 million in costs after a breach, although only 49 % of organizations invest in security after being attacked.

The average recovery time from an attack, for those companies or institutions that manage to recover, is 276 days, a period of high operational vulnerability.

Sustainability and global responsibility

José Luis Rangel, marketing manager, who oversees sustainability matters in Venezuela, closed the day by speaking on “ESET’s Sustainable Management – ​​Experiences in Latin America.” Rangel highlighted that the company is one of the few in the sector that aligns its strategy with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Compact.

This management approach seeks a balance between environmental, social, and economic factors. It involves promoting gender equality, effective human talent management, and responsibility throughout the value chain, demonstrating that digital security is integrated with a global commitment to sustainability.

Rangel shared some of the sustainability initiatives they have implemented in Latin America and Venezuela in recent years, which are aligned with ESET’s four pillars of action in the region: environment, value chain, employees, and community.

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

Through on-site coverage by DOBLE LLAVE and El Sumario, as well as with information and main image provided by Comstat Rowland

Audiovisual production and general photography: Jesús Ramírez

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