This policy study analyzes the historical evolution of IT in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the current scenario of the cybersecurity, the initiatives and investments and more importantly the cybersecurity readiness and gaps. Lastly, provides recommendations to augment the cybersecurity of the country.
Cybersecurity undeniably is established atop the international agenda. In the current era, any failure or lack in the cybersecurity can potentially endanger an economy, its digitized and critical infrastructure. Cyber-crimes have known to cause economies not only financial losses but also, result in compromising intelligence integral to nations’ security and functionality which in turn abases the electronic services to meager dump of ineffectual data. The Kingdom’s efforts to enhance the security of its Information and Communication Technology (ICT), which enables the businesses and residents of Saudi Arabia to carry out their day to day activities with ease and convenience, have been continuously subjected to various types and levels of cyber threats resulting in information and monetary losses. In this study we outlines the Kingdoms’ commitment and resolve to safeguard the information and privacy of public and private sector, corresponding initiatives and investments to realize the vision of a digitally secured IT based economy. The establishments by the KSA in the domain of Cybersecurity currently are in a growing stage. Cyber-attacks in the past have coerced the decision makers to reassess the existing ICT infrastructure, underlying cyber capabilities both offensive and defensive, to cope with the elevating frequency and sophistication. Lastly, we conclude the report with strategic, operational, tactical and capability based recommendations that can enable the Kingdom to boost their cyber capabilities, not only as a country but also as pioneering member leading a collective cyber-defense front with its allies in the middle east.