KINDI Center for Computing Research at Qatar University College of Engineering (QU-CENG) launched the Cyber Security Week and the International Conference on Cyber Security for Emerging Technologies (CSET) 2019. The week aims to provide a platform for a gathering of experts and researchers in the area of cyber security to reach solutions that can stand to today’s cyber security challenges.
The week and conference are co-organized with Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University Qatar, Qatar Computer Research Institute, GEODE. The conference is sponsored by Dolphin Energy Limited, supported by Thales, Qatar Airways, and Qatar Tourism Authority. CSET is sponsored by IEEE.
In his opening speech, Dr. Hassan Al Derham, QU President said: “Through this week, QU is supporting the vision of the National Cyber Security Strategy, which represents a roadmap to raise the awareness of the importance of cyber security, and contributes to the preservation of the fundamental rights and values of Qatari society.”
“This week also aims to emphasis the need to develop mechanisms to combat cybercrime, increase awareness of its risks, and the importance of raising and enhancing the level of security related to this type of crime in public and private organizations and institutions. In addition to keeping up-to-date of modern technology and technologies that make electronic systems more secure and cohesive, And better able to address cybercrime challenges to address cross-border crime and cyber attacks.” He added.
Commenting on the company’s sponsorship of the International Conference on Cybersecurity Week 2019, Dolphin Energy’s General Manager – Qatar, Mr. Hassan Al-Emadi said: “We are very proud to be part of this important platform which is helping raise awareness of the risks and challenges associated with cyber security. Increased global connectivity and a new, digital landscape means it is vital that we continue to collaborate with others to identify new risks, develop solutions and enhance our resilience against the chances of a cyber-attack.”
In his speech, H.E. The Ambassador of France to Qatar, Franck Gellet said “International cooperation is essential. That means, in particular, cooperation between states, public and private actors. This cooperation has to be holistic and should include technical, economic, legal, geopolitical and military aspects. France and Qatar have dense and long-standing bilateral relations, which are constantly deepening in many fields, including cybersecurity. I am delighted that QU organizes this event in partnership with French Universities and Thales, and with the support of international entities like the NATO. It perfectly highlights the need for collaboration on this emerging and crucial matter”.
QNRF Senior Manager ICT Dr. Munir Tag said “Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) is the main R&D funding body in Qatar and was established in 2006 with the aim of enabling Research and Development excellence on the national level to build a sustainable and diversified economy. More specifically, QNRF advances knowledge and education by providing funding opportunities for original and competitively selected proposals across all disciplines with an emphasis on the four pillars of the Qatar National Research Strategy (QNRS)”.
Cyber security was dealt with, for a long time, from a technology perspective by different organizations around the world. However, cybersecurity is a multidisciplinary field as it involves people and their attitudes, organizational infrastructures, corporate and government policies, human awareness, and of course, technology. Therefore, cyber security in today’s world is fundamental to a wide range of areas and industries such as Energy, Healthcare, Utilities, Finance, Business & Economy, Transportation, Government, Media & Communication, Social Media and People. While research communities in many disciplines have sought to explain and mitigate security concerns, their disciplinary focus has inevitably led to a partial rather than a holistic view on the problems and their solutions. Hence, there has been no substantive, dedicated, and sustained research presence with the prime focus of investigating multidisciplinary security concerns and the interplay between security and human behavior”.
Dr Noora Fetais said "Until recently, cybercrime was limited to individuals or small groups, but as Internet networks expanded, these crimes became more complex and widespread, causing significant damage to companies and institutions,"
"Although there is an evolution in the systems of some institutions, but they are not immune to cyber attacks because of the development of mechanisms and methods of electronic hackers, and hence all institutions need to develop a plan for the development of their infrastructure to enhance cyber security." She added.