The Deputy Commander of the Joint Cyber Command takes part in the opening of the 6th ICT Conference & Rooted Con Congress

• Under the slogan ‘A digital shield against cyber threats’, the event has brought together cyber security representatives from companies and institutions across several Latin American countries

Federico Juste de Santa Ana, Deputy Commander of the MCCE, takes part in the opening of the 6th STIC Conference & Rooted Con Congress in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, delivering a keynote speech on the risks present in cyberspace.

During his speech, the speaker warned that ‘cyberspace has now established itself as the main arena for confrontation between states, in a context marked by an increase in hybrid threats and the growing sophistication of digital attacks’.

He also highlighted the impact of offensive artificial intelligence in the field of cybersecurity. As he explained, the use of AI-based tools has led to an increase of more than 1,200% in certain cyberattacks, facilitating the creation of fraudulent websites, voice spoofing and the democratisation of offensive capabilities. ‘Today, people with limited technical knowledge can carry out complex attacks thanks to their ability to use artificial intelligence tools,’ he noted.

Juste also warned of the consolidation of a ‘synchronised hybrid war’, in which hacktivist groups operate in parallel with military offensives, although primarily targeting civilian rather than strictly military objectives.

Another issue addressed was the growing crisis of confidence in the digital supply chain. In this regard, he explained how APT groups and hacktivist collectives exploit vulnerabilities in supplier companies to compromise larger organisations, highlighting the difficulty of controlling third-party security.

He also highlighted the increasing professionalisation of cybercrime through the emergence of mercenary groups that blur the line between espionage and common crime, offering ‘cheap and deniable’ attack capabilities to various actors.

Looking ahead, Juste identified several key trends, including the digital arms race, the consolidation of AI as a strategic domain, the strengthening of resilience in critical infrastructure, and the growing need to bolster digital sovereignty.

Finally, he defended the importance of developing national cyber defence capabilities and supporting the Spanish business sector as a strategic asset. ‘No one is going to defend us if we don’t have our own capabilities,’ he concluded.

The 6th STIC Conference & Rooted Con Congress have turned the Dominican capital into the main hub for Ibero-American cybersecurity over the past few days. The event, organised by the National Cryptology Centre, the Joint Cyberspace Command, RootedCON and the Dominican National Intelligence Directorate, has brought together experts, public institutions, cyber defence forces and technology companies under the slogan ‘A digital shield against cyber threats’.

During the conference, key issues were addressed, such as the protection of critical infrastructure, the response to cyberattacks, international cooperation and the impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and 5G on digital security. In addition, other international organisations such as the OAS and representatives from CSIRTAmericas took part, reinforcing the strategic and collaborative nature of the event. The event was very well attended, in line with the warm reception and high participation seen in previous editions.