- The current edition will be centred around the theme of “Cyber Defense in the Age of Cyber Warfare”
-The Conference is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry of Military Production, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning, and the Financial Regulatory Authority
- Chairman of Arab Security Conference: In Africa and the Middle East, it is projected that the expenditure on cybersecurity will reach USD 5 billion by the year 2025
By : Basel Khaled
The eight edition of Arab Security Conference is set to commence on the upcoming Sunday. Held under the auspices of Dr.Amr Talaat, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Eng. Mohamed Salah El-Din, the Minister of State for Military Production, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, and International Cooperation, Mr. Ahmed Kajok, the Minister of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Farid, the Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority, Major General Khairy Barakat, President of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, and Major General Engineer Mokhtar AbdelLatif as Chairman of the Arab Organization for Industrialization, the Conference will take place on September 22nd and 23rd. It will focus on the theme of “Cyber Defense in the Age of Cyber Warfare,” bringing together a diverse range of international experts, specialists, and information security and cyber defense officials.
Given the rising number of cyber attacks, data shows that 70 per cent of Arab companies have experienced some form of cyber attack within the last three years. The current edition of the Arab Security Conference seeks to raise awareness about the dangers posed by cyber threats and promote a better understanding of the increasing risks of such attacks faced by governments, organisations, and individuals in the Arab region.
The eighth edition addresses various challenges currently encountered by the cybersecurity field, including the surge in cyber attacks and insufficient security awareness. It also underscoresthelack of qualified professionals, out-dated infrastructure and obsolete technology. Discussions also revolve around legislation and legal compliance. Notably,the Conferenceplaces a strong emphasis on investing in human resource training, while also exploring the latest trends in the digital economy, Internet of Things (IoT), big data security, social networks, internal threats, Blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cyber warfare, defense strategies, application and network security, cybercrime, cybersecurity in civil aviation and satellite systems, cloud computing security, digital forensic analysis, intelligent cyber threats, and communication security.
Dr. Bahaa Hasan, the Chairman of the Arab Security Conference, highlighted that the information security market is experiencing unprecedented expansion due to the surge of cyber threats and the imperative to safeguard data and digital infrastructure. In recent years, cybersecurity has become an essential component of government strategies and is adopted by major enterprises globally.
Headded that the global information security market is projected to achieve a value of USD 250 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 12 per cent to 15 per cent in the upcoming years, according to the latest global reports. This growth is anticipated to be fuelled by various factors, including the escalating number of cyber attacks, the rapid pace of digital transformation, the increasing dependence on cloud technologies, and the reinforcement of compliance with legislation and regulations. In the Middle East and Africa region, it is predicted that the expenditure on cybersecurity will reach approximately USD 5 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate ranging from 9 per cent to 10 per cent.
He explained that the Arab Security Conference is focused on a number of important pillars, including strengthening Arab collaboration in the realm of information security, combating the escalating cyber threats that target Arab governments and organisations, buildingcapacities and providing training to Arab professionals in cybersecurity, and fostering innovation in information security within the Arab community.
The upcoming edition will feature a special competition designed for young cybersecurity professionals. The winners will be honoured with the Arab Security Cyber WarGames Championship awards. Additionally, the “Arab Cyber Security Awards 2024”will evaluate the digital security initiatives in the Arab region byengaging experts and specialists from diverse companies and institutions.
The Conference plan outlines that on an annual basis, the Conference will release a series of suggestions from professionals and specialists in the technology industry to address the challenges of cybersecurity. These recommendations will primarily emphasise “the importance of strengthening collaboration between the government and private sector, promoting research and innovation in the cybersecurity field, establishing constant training programs for local professionals, and creating a comprehensive national cybersecurity strategy that can serve as a benchmark for both government entities and private institutions in Egypt”.
