Kazakhstan and Palo Alto Networks are strengthening their cooperation in the field of cybersecurity

Cooperation between the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Palo Alto Networks, one of the world’s leading cybersecurity companies, has moved into the practical implementation phase. The partnership, launched after the signing of a memorandum during the visit of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the United States in November 2025, now covers key areas of the country’s digital sovereignty, from protecting information systems and strengthening cyber resilience to training the next generation of specialists.

The interaction between the parties is based on Palo Alto Networks’ long-standing expertise in cybersecurity. The company’s status as one of the world’s technological leaders allows Kazakhstan to integrate advanced international practices into its information security architecture. Such cooperation provides direct access to innovative solutions necessary for ensuring the resilience of the country’s digital infrastructure.

Since its founding, Palo Alto Networks has played a key role in shaping the global cybersecurity industry. In 2007, the company created and launched a new class of solutions — Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW), and in 2018, it introduced the XDR technology, setting new standards in effective detection and response to cyber threats, Extended Detection & Response. These solutions are now widely used by major corporations and government organizations worldwide.

Today, specialists from government agencies and critical infrastructure facilities are actively testing and implementing innovative Palo Alto Networks platforms such as Cortex XDR and XSOAR, AI-based protection technologies, next-generation firewalls with AI support, as well as modern SASE and ZTNA 2.0 architectures that ensure secure access to corporate resources and protect distributed users. The application of next-generation tools for building Operational Information Security Centers enables not only timely incident response but also the use of artificial intelligence for proactive threat monitoring and automatic blocking of cyberattacks.

Alongside technical equipment, a major educational campaign is underway. The Palo Alto Networks Cybersecurity Academy has already opened its doors to students from five leading universities in the country, including the Kazakhstan-British Technical University, SDU University, AUEC, Astana IT University, and international universities Coventry and De Montfort. Future specialists are mastering work with cybersecurity and artificial intelligence solutions, while current engineers from ministries and national companies are undergoing professional retraining in accordance with international cybersecurity standards.

An important part of the cooperation has also been international experience exchange. The Kazakh delegation has already visited Azerbaijan to study best practices for protecting state and critical infrastructure facilities based on the national CERT center. Special attention was given to mechanisms for controlling personal data and implementing GDPR standards.

This experience forms the basis for new legislative initiatives on cloud security and the protection of critical digital assets from threats created using AI.

All accumulated developments and results of pilot projects will be presented to the expert community on April 7 in Astana at the specialized event Innovation Day. This will be another step toward creating a secure and innovative digital environment in Kazakhstan, protected by the highest global standards.

Source: gov.kz