Fifth Cyber Drill opens in Doha

Computer emergency response teams in the Arab region converged on Doha yesterday at the opening of the Fifth Regional Cyber Drill, a workshop which aims to effectively combat cyber threats in the GCC.
The five-day workshop is hosted by Qatar and represented by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) and organised by the International Telecommunication Union-Arab Regional Cybersecurity Centre (ITU-ARCC), in collaboration with the ITU Arab Regional Office.
“The MoTC has been embracing the strategies and plans that help contribute to maximising the benefits gained from the latest world technologies on the path of bolstering our Information, Communication and Technology sector,” said engineer Khalid al-Hashmi, Assistant Undersecretary of Cyber Security at the Ministry in his speech.
He noted that MoTC’s Qatar Computer Emergency Response Team (Q-CERT) has been working hard to maintain and secure the country’s cyberspace against any harmful threats.
Q-CERT remains vigilant to ensure an electronic environment free of hacking, a threat that might hinder people in Qatar who use and benefit from today’s modern technology, al-Hashmi stressed.
“The Ministry also provides support for all entities in this domain countrywide. It holds regular national training programmes and cyber drills to further enhance State institutions’ response and readiness efficiency,” he added.
The cyber drill serves as a platform for further co-operation and discussions on current cybersecurity challenges, boosting communication and threat response capabilities.
Besides sharing best practices and presentations, resource speakers at the workshop also tackled a number of topics that included the introduction of anti-ransomware solutions, strategy and approaches, and “Communications with Stakeholders: A Critical Actvity for National CERTs.”
The workshop will also feature mock exercises on how to counter cyberattacks as part of testing the capabilities of governments and private organisations in handling and responding to threats.