Dr. Bahaa Hassan, a technology expert, has emphasized that cybersecurity is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for all institutions. He made these remarks during the Arab Cybersecurity Conference, where he highlighted the importance of building specialized cadres capable of protecting digital data and systems. According to Dr. Hassan, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology plays a pivotal role in qualifying new batches to contribute to building a national system more prepared to face cyber threats.
Dr. Hassan pointed out that artificial intelligence has become a double-edged sword. On one hand, it helps estimate risks and detect attacks early, but on the other hand, it is used to launch more complex attacks. This situation requires a new phase of vigilance and cooperation between institutions and countries. He also noted that the participation of major entities, such as the Arab Organization for Industrialization and the Ministry of Military Production, in the conference reflects the state's growing awareness of the seriousness of this issue.
The technology expert stressed that the beginning of facing threats starts with training. He argued that it is no longer acceptable to deal with cybersecurity as a secondary item and called on all institutions to allocate sufficient budgets for training, technical infrastructure, and capacity building. Dr. Hassan praised the experience of the Central Bank of Egypt, which has achieved a significant leap in the banking sector by obliging banks to spend seriously on training and building cadres.
Dr. Hassan also pointed out that the market suffers from a severe shortage of specialized cadres and the migration of many of them abroad. He noted that some institutions stop training programs at the first financial crisis, despite the fact that cybersecurity requires continuous training that is no less important than investing in systems. He called for generalizing the experience of the Central Bank to other state institutions and the private sector to face the "flood of attacks."
For his part, Eng. Ahmed Bahaa, Deputy Chairman of the Conference, emphasized that cybersecurity requires clear regulatory frameworks in all sectors. He called for the generalization of regulatory models applied in the Central Bank and Financial Supervisory Authority to other sectors, such as oil and communications. He also stressed that cybersecurity cannot be left to voluntary choice, but must be subject to strict laws.
Eng. Bahaa pointed out that the challenge is not limited to large entities, as even commercial franchise companies have sensitive customer data and must be subject to protection standards. He added that cybersecurity has become part of protecting the economy and society, and public awareness must be raised about its role. He also touched on the digital identity project, which he believes should have been implemented long ago.
The conference discussed various issues related to cybersecurity, including the importance of cooperation between institutions and countries to face cyber threats. The speakers emphasized the need for continuous training and capacity building to address the increasing number of attacks. They also called for the development of clear regulatory frameworks and strict laws to protect digital data and systems.
Key points
- Cybersecurity is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for all institutions.
- Artificial intelligence has become a double-edged sword in cybersecurity.
- Continuous training and capacity building are essential to address the increasing number of cyber attacks.
