The Oman Cybersecurity Conference's fourth edition was held in Muscat on Thursday, April 18, 2024, under the patronage of Shaikh Ghassan bin Hilal al Alawi, head of the State Financial and Administrative Audit Institution.
Organized by Al Roya newspaper in partnership with the Cyber Defence Center, the Advanced Cybersecurity Academy, and Oman Data Park, the conference focused on cybersecurity in the telecommunications industry. The theme of the conference was "Safeguarding the Digital World: The Cybersecurity Revolution in the Telecommunications Sector." During his keynote address, Hatim al Taie, the editor-in-chief of Al Roya, emphasized the importance of cybersecurity.
"The conversation around cybersecurity is no longer just about identifying challenges and predicting the future; it has become a critical priority driven by the events and transformations happening around us. Cybersecurity threats such as hacking, ransomware attacks, and electronic fraud underscore the urgency of prioritizing cybersecurity in organizations," he stated. "The telecommunications sector, being closely intertwined with the daily lives of individuals and institutions across all sectors, must enhance its electronic defense capabilities to ensure the highest level of preparedness."
Badar al Salehi, the Director General of the Oman National Computer Emergency Readiness Team (OCERT), provided valuable insights into cyber threats faced by the telecommunications sector.
Telecommunications is ranked third in terms of average weekly attacks per organization, as highlighted by the speaker. The increase in cyberattacks targeting the communications infrastructure sector has been emphasized in various statistics and reports. These attacks are becoming more sophisticated and widespread, posing a significant threat to the security of communication networks, their users, and the personal and sensitive data exchanged.
The interconnected nature of communication networks makes them a prime target for attacks seeking to cause maximum damage and losses with minimal effort. Numerous attacks on the telecommunications sector have been observed globally in different countries. Al Salehi emphasizes the importance of keeping pace with the rapid advancements in cybersecurity and telecommunications, as well as investing in modern technology and proactive security measures to strengthen cybersecurity defense.
Furthermore, he stresses the significance of cross-sectoral collaboration. Effective communication and collaboration among various sectors such as governmental, private, academic, and research institutions, along with cybersecurity experts and security, defense, and regulatory bodies, are essential to enhance cyber capabilities for securing the telecommunications sector. The one-day forum focused on proactive measures, information security, the Zero Trust model, and framework provisions for active defenses, accompanied by a parallel exhibition featuring local and global cybersecurity companies.
