WHITE PAPER: January 2019 by A. Quadri and M.K. Khan | 6.49 MB

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By Amanullah Quadri and Muhammad Khurram Khan

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.

About the author(s)

Amanullah Quadri

Amanullah Quadri is a researcher at the Global Foundation for Cyber Studies and Research. He is a Cybersecurity research enthusiast with an extensive industrial experience in security technologies risk management.

Muhammad Khurram Khan

Muhammad Khurram Khan is the Founder and CEO of the Global Foundation for Cyber Studies and Research. His research focuses on Cybersecurity from the policy, technology and academic perspectives. His detailed profile can be visited on his personal website at http://www.professorkhurram.com