Government sets priorities for cybersecurity research and development

In order to know the current status and future trends in cybersecurity, detect research networks and international collaboration and identify priority areas in Research and Development (R&D) that need to be promoted and supported by public policies, the Government conducted the first study of R&D in Cybersecurity.

The report, which was conducted by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (CTCI), the Interior Ministry and representatives of academia, identified four priority areas to advance future research: Artificial Intelligence (AI), cryptography, security and education.

The report, which is part of the commitments of the Interministerial Cybersecurity Roundtable within the framework of the National Cybersecurity Policy 2023-2028, included 200 researches carried out in the last decade.

The Undersecretary of the CTCI, Carolina Gainza, said that “the next step is to develop concrete actions, foster collaboration between academic institutions, the private sector and public bodies, and promote education and training in cybersecurity”.

She commented that they will deploy a series of actions in 2025. Among them, including cybersecurity as one of the priority axes of Becas Chile. “The country needs 28,000 professionals in this field”, she said.

They will also prioritize cybersecurity issues in the scholarships given by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID), for R&D projects in cybersecurity.

They are also pushing for a portfolio of strategic projects, reviewing ANID instruments, such as a research ring or a core focused on cybersecurity for 2025-2026, to support existing and new initiatives that address “the critical areas of AI, cryptography, quantum computing, security and education in cybersecurity,” he said.

Opportunities

Romina Torres, an academic at the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences of the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (UAI), who participated in the preparation of the report, commented that the study showed that the country has several “outstanding” researchers in this field, and hopes that thematic calls will be made for R&D in the prioritized areas.

He stated that there is a “tremendous opportunity” to create science and technology-based companies and to increase the export of cybersecurity from the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry.

He also pointed out that the National Cybersecurity Forum -a space promoted by the Senate to develop a roadmap to advance in this area- is already working on action plans in R&D and innovation, based on the prioritized areas and conclusions of the report.

“We hope that progress can be made in the technological maturity of cybersecurity and that the developments that are generated are secure and in compliance with regulations and associated bills,” he said.