Andean Community and LAC4 Launch Cybersecurity Training Initiative for SMEs

By PPO Indacochea

The General Secretariat of the Andean Community (CAN) and the Latin America and Caribbean Cyber Competence Centre (LAC4) have carried on a cybersecurity capacity-building program for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

In recent years, cyberattacks have grown exponentially in the four Andean Community member countries, affecting individuals, governments, and companies alike. While governments and large companies tend to have greater resources and tools to address these threats, the same is not true for SMEs. The initiative responds directly to this gap.

The program carried relevance beyond operational security. Cyberattacks increasingly target proprietary business information, trade secrets, and digital assets — areas that intersect directly with intellectual property protection. Security analysts have flagged that AI-related tools and shadow systems are creating new exposure risks for sensitive intellectual property, as unapproved tools deployed without oversight can trigger widespread data exposure. For SMEs operating in digital product markets and seeking access to international trade, these risks carry direct implications for the protection of their intangible assets.

The initiative was aimed at SMEs in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru that develop products or services with digital components and are currently exporting — or have a real interest in exporting — to the European Union. 

Institutional Framework

LAC4 is implemented by the Estonian Information System Authority and funded by the European Union. The Centre was established in 2022, with its physical training facility located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Its stated objective is to provide cybersecurity and cybercrime expertise in support of the digital transformation of Latin America and the Caribbean, and to strengthen collaboration to counter cyber threats in the region.

Among its activities, LAC4 conducts train-the-trainer programs for diverse stakeholders, including SMEs, and supports the drafting or updating of national cybersecurity strategies and legislation across the region. 

The Andean Community's General Secretariat, for its part, includes a Directorate General for Social Development, Cooperation, and Intellectual Property (DG-DEC), which oversees the bloc's work on intellectual property matters. The convergence of digital security and IP protection frameworks reflects a broader regional recognition that cybersecurity infrastructure and intangible asset protection are increasingly interlinked policy areas for businesses operating across borders.