Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has demonstrated the highest levels of commitment in implementing the outputs of the G20 Summit related to cyber resilience, according to the follow-up report on the commitment to implement the outputs of the G20 summit.

This confirms the great importance the Kingdom attaches to national cybersecurity and its perception that it is a basic goal and constituent to protect Saudi Arabia’s vital interests and sensitive infrastructure as well as priority sectors and government services and activities so as to ensure a safe and reliable Saudi space that enables growth and prosperity.

The report indicated that the Kingdom, represented by the National Cybersecurity Authority, issued a number of controls and regulations related to cybersecurity, the most prominent of which were the launch of cybersecurity controls for cloud computing, the launch of cybersecurity guidelines for e-commerce, the development of cybersecurity tools, and the launch of cybersecurity controls for sensitive systems.

Saudi Arabia also adopted the national cybersecurity strategy, which marks a new phase in the process of cybersecurity in the Kingdom, and contributes to the establishment of an integrated national system for cybersecurity that enables national entities to raise the level of their cybersecurity and protect their networks, systems and electronic data.

At the international level, the report indicated that the Kingdom has made great efforts in terms of building international partnerships in cybersecurity. Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman adopted two international initiatives to enhance the protection of cyberspace. The first is to protect children in cyberspace and the second seeks to empower women in cybersecurity.

These initiatives coincided with the launch of the International Cybersecurity Forum, in which a group of heads of cybersecurity agencies and bodies in a number of countries and international organizations participated to discuss strengthening cyber resilience and capabilities and encouraging international cooperation in this field. The forum also witnessed the “Riyadh Cybersecurity Statement”, which calls on everyone to join in supporting a number of goals and recommendations aimed at exerting efforts toward better cyberspace for all.

The report also pointed out the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Global Cybersecurity Forum for information sharing and developing technical capabilities and training of more than 500 specialists in the field of sharing cyber information.

It is noteworthy that the National Cybersecurity Authority, as part of its efforts to protect cybersecurity in the Kingdom, had launched the national cybersecurity strategy last September, which aims to direct national efforts toward strengthening cybersecurity, as a national framework to support government efforts and extremely significant infrastructure.

The move seeks to enhance the Kingdom’s cyberspace security and to follow safe practices to deal with technology and protect information, data, and systems for national entities in the Kingdom. The strategy also aims to work on preparing qualified cadres, encouraging and enabling national authorities and the private sector to invest and create a conducive environment for innovation in cybersecurity.