The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hosted the first ever Western Hemisphere Cyber Conference, convening representatives from 21 nations to discuss the most significant cyber challenges they are experiencing and ways to collectively address them. 

As these countries underscored a collective resolve to address cyber challenges together, the need for stronger efforts became more apparent. The DHS Western Hemisphere Conference marked a significant step in cross-border cyber collaboration and an opportunity for these nations to fortify their collective defenses and enhance their response capabilities. 

Major themes from the DHS Western Hemisphere Cyber Conference include: 

1. Shared Challenges, Unified Defenses: The conference shed light on the rising tide of cross-border cyber threats affecting nations in the Western Hemisphere, including an uptick in ransomware attacks and cyber attacks exploiting financial data. To counter these challenges effectively, the emphasis was on enhancing threat information sharing. By fostering an environment of open dialogue, hosting joint cyber exercises and conducting tabletop simulations, nations in the Western Hemisphere aim to create a unified front against cyber adversaries. 

2. Approaches to Critical Infrastructure Resilience: Protecting critical infrastructure entities against cyber-attacks emerged as a shared priority among the participating nations, with a particular focus on transportation and maritime security. Conversations revolved around implementing cybersecurity standards, enhancing public-private partnerships, reducing the prevalence of legacy and indefensible technology and selecting trusted vendors. 

3. Cybersecurity Capacity Building and Improving Talent: Acknowledging the disparity in cybersecurity capabilities among nations, the conference also focused on capacity building and exploring avenues to recruit, retain and hire diverse talent to combat cyber threats effectively. The conversations highlighted that rather than imposing strict requirements for candidates, governments need to focus on finding people who obtain a risk management aptitude, curiosity, eagerness, and more. 

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