Panama Activates Cybersecurity Center to

Panama has made its State Cybersecurity Operations Center operational. The move, led by the National Authority for Government Innovation (AIG), aims to protect government digital systems and critical infrastructure from sophisticated cyber threats.

This center forms the core of a national strategy to boost cyber resilience. It will provide continuous monitoring of government networks, improve incident response, and strengthen defenses. The initiative responds to a significant increase in cyber threats targeting Panamanian public institutions in recent years, as noted in regional stats.

Protecting a strategic hub

Panama's position as a major logistics, maritime, and financial hub makes cybersecurity a strategic priority. Secure networks are essential for the Panama Canal, ports, airports, financial institutions, undersea cables, and government digital services.

Cyberattacks are now a national security concern capable of disrupting essential services and economic activity. Regional media reported several major cyber incidents in 2026, including ransomware attacks, data theft, and denial-of-service attempts.

Previous incidents affected institutions like the Social Security Fund and the Ministries of Labor and Health, temporarily disrupting services. Hackers also briefly compromised the Comptroller General's official Instagram account. These events highlighted the need for stronger defenses.

“In recent years, the focus has been on progressively raising the level of digital maturity among institutions,” explained Adolfo Fábrega, general administrator of the AIG. He stated that the evolving global context and threat level require more robust standards.

Strengthening operational capabilities

The State Cybersecurity Operations Center works with the National Cyber Incident Response Team (CSIRT Panamá). It enables faster detection of malicious activity and more coordinated responses to incidents affecting critical infrastructure.

Authorities have incorporated Network Detection and Response technology supported by artificial intelligence. This improves real-time threat detection and network visibility. Currently, 15 government entities and critical infrastructure organizations operate within the system, providing the country’s broadest centralized cybersecurity coverage to date.

“We are complementing this with a vulnerability detection program,” explained Francisco Guinard, deputy administrator of the AIG. He said the program identifies technological weaknesses that attackers could exploit. The system provides visibility into all government technological components exposed to the internet, which is a significant operational advantage for the national squad of cyber defenders.

This visibility is an operational advantage. By identifying exposed assets and monitoring vulnerabilities, teams can address weaknesses before exploitation. This shifts efforts from reactive responses toward proactive network defense.

Building long-term resilience

Experts stress that technology alone is insufficient. Effective cybersecurity requires trained personnel, institutional coordination, common standards, and sustained investment.

Mario Sánchez, CEO of cybersecurity firm Strattia, told Diálogo that the main obstacle is a gap between digitization and defense capabilities. “The digital transformation of governments and institutions is advancing at a faster pace than the strengthening of their protective mechanisms,” he said.

Many Latin American countries have national cyber incident response teams, but their capabilities vary. Strengthening institutional capacity is now as important as deploying new technology.

Regional trends show a growing challenge. Cybersecurity company Kaspersky reported that Latin America recorded the world’s highest rate of ransomware attacks against organizations during 2025.

Panama's investments integrate centralized monitoring, artificial intelligence, incident response, and vulnerability management. This builds a more coordinated approach to protecting essential services and strategic infrastructure. The country's experience demonstrates that cybersecurity is now an integral component of national security across the region.