Chile’s Cybersecurity Framework Law: an executive guide for senior management

For many years, cybersecurity was treated primarily as a technical issue, largely delegated to IT teams. The enactment of Chile’s Cybersecurity Framework Law represents a fundamental shift in that approach. Cybersecurity is now a strategic responsibility with direct implications for senior management and corporate governance bodies.

Law No. 21.663 was introduced in response to the sustained increase in cybersecurity incidents affecting both private organizations and essential services across the country. Its objective goes beyond preventing attacks: it aims to strengthen the real ability of organizations to respond, coordinate, and maintain operational continuity during critical cyber events.

Beyond regulatory compliance

From an executive perspective, one of the most significant changes introduced by the law is its focus on effective preparedness. Having documented policies or formal controls is no longer sufficient. Organizations must demonstrate clear processes, defined roles, and the ability to make timely decisions when a cybersecurity incident occurs.

The creation of the National Cybersecurity Agency (ANCI) reinforces this approach. Cybersecurity is no longer a recommendation—it is subject to oversight, defined deadlines, and potential sanctions, introducing a new regulatory risk that must be managed alongside legal and operational risks.

The role of senior management and the board

A core element of the Cybersecurity Framework Law is its emphasis on governance. Senior management and boards can no longer remain on the sidelines. Critical decisions during a cyber incident—such as stopping operations, communicating with customers, or coordinating with authorities—are strategic in nature, not purely technical.

The regulation also requires incident reporting within strict timeframes, even when available information is incomplete. This obliges organizations to define clear criteria in advance and prepare teams to identify, escalate, and report incidents promptly.

Real-world incident preparedness

In practice, the Cybersecurity Framework Law pushes organizations to ask critical questions: Are we prepared to respond to a cyberattack? Are roles clear in the first critical minutes? Are our teams trained to operate under pressure?

The difference between compliance and preparedness becomes evident during real incidents. Organizations that embed cybersecurity into their governance and culture respond faster, reducing operational, regulatory, and reputational impact.

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