Amidst the ever-evolving landscape of digital threats, the imperative to safeguard cyberspace has become paramount for nations. With cyberattacks growing increasingly sophisticated, their targets expanding to encompass sensitive information and critical infrastructures, the need for enhanced cyber resilience has risen to prominence.
This heightened focus was underscored at the 2023 World Economic Forum in Davos, where cyber resilience emerged as a top priority for organisations. Notably, the Global Risks Perception Survey respondents have identified cyberattacks on critical infrastructure as one of the top five risks for 2023.
Both regionally and globally, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront when it comes to building cyber resilience. In fact, the country ranked second in the Global Cybersecurity Index in the World Competitiveness Yearbook for 2023.
But what is ‘cyber resilience’?
We use this term to refer to the ability to anticipate, withstand, and rapidly recover from cyber incidents, ensuring the continuity of operations and safeguarding valuable assets.
The key components that form the foundation of cyber resilience are robust risk assessment, continuous monitoring, and threat intelligence. Moreover, education and awareness play a vital role in building a national culture of cyber resilience.
Saudi government leads cybersecurity drive
Recognising that cyber resilience is crucial to achieving the ambitious goals set by the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia has deployed a National Cybersecurity Strategy aligned with Vision 2030. Carefully crafted to realise the concept of a “safe and reliable Saudi cyberspace that enables growth and prosperity,” the strategy successfully balances the elements of security, trust, and growth.
This secure cyberspace will be the foundation on which the Kingdom will realise its various ambitions across fields ranging from government to education to space missions.
The Kingdom has made a multi-faceted push towards this goal, enacting legislation, creating bodies and implementing educational and training initiatives to build the required infrastructure and cultivate local cybersecurity talents.
For example, the Kingdom is decisively moving toward a progressive data protection regime, having originally introduced the Personal Data Protection Law in 2021 in line with global best practices. More recently, the Kingdom has announced amendments to the law that introduce more nuance to the stipulations in line with KSA’s efforts to becoming a business-friendly economy.
Saudi Arabia has also formed a number of national organisations in the interest of building cyber resilience across different areas. One such organisation – the new institute for the Global Cybersecurity Forum in Riyadh – is set to encourage international cooperation, contribute to building local capabilities, promote research and development, and help to establish policies that boost cyber resilience.
In response to the global cybersecurity workforce shortage of over 2.5 million jobs, the Kingdom is gearing up. A PwC survey indicates that 58 percent of respondents in Saudi Arabia believe there’s a shortage of specialised skills. Recognising the urgency, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones has set an ambitious goal: to have a programmer among every 100 Saudis by 2030.
The enablement of human capital lies at the heart of the efforts towards cyber resilience; it is vital that we empower individuals with the knowledge, tools and support they need to stay ahead of the curve. This requires a continued investment in training and development, as well as a focus on cultivating a positive and proactive national cybersecurity culture.
The Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority has made this a priority, while broader efforts pertaining to Saudization and the empowerment of women within the cybersecurity field are also contributing to filling vital cybersecurity roles.
The role of service providers
Along the Kingdom’s journey to secure its cyberspace, we have observed a trend among Saudi organisations who are choosing to partner with skilled experts to build cyber resilience. After all, as the threat landscape continues to evolve at exponential rates, it is extremely difficult for organisations to maintain cyber resilience by depending only on in-house security teams.
This coupled with the global shortage of skilled resources in cybersecurity has led to the need for partnering with expert Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), to ensure 24/7 monitoring and incident response.
Moreover, specific organisations within Saudi Arabia, notably in the financial sector, have fortified their defences with dedicated security operations centres. These entities also choose to collaborate with Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) to augment their security posture, creating a multi-tiered shield against potential threats that might elude their internal security apparatus.
Looking ahead
Saudi Arabia has firmly established its global leadership when it comes to cyber resilience. As the Kingdom progresses towards the future, security and success will be inextricable from one another, and the empowerment of human capital will be crucial to bringing these ideals to life. The Kingdom is well-positioned to reap the benefits of digital transformation while bolstering cyber resilience to secure critical systems and infrastructures.
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