National Cybersecurity Authority Develops Skills of Over 10,000 Saudis Through CyberIC

The National Cybersecurity Academy trained about 6,000 beneficiaries representing more than 300 government agencies in 2023 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The National Cybersecurity Academy trained about 6,000 beneficiaries representing more than 300 government agencies in 2023 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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National Cybersecurity Authority Develops Skills of Over 10,000 Saudis Through CyberIC

The National Cybersecurity Academy trained about 6,000 beneficiaries representing more than 300 government agencies in 2023 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The National Cybersecurity Academy trained about 6,000 beneficiaries representing more than 300 government agencies in 2023 (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The development of cybersecurity is one of the strategic pillars of the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) in Saudi Arabia to stimulate the growth of the sector, encourage innovation, support entrepreneurship and investment, raise the proportion of local content in it, and build specialized national cadres to meet the national needs.

It also aims to contribute to strengthening the cybersecurity sector in Saudi Arabia and exploit promising opportunities that abound to achieve sustainable development and access to safe and reliable cyberspace.

NCA is the government entity in charge of cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia and serves as the national authority on its affairs.

It has regulatory and operational functions related to cybersecurity and works closely with public and private entities to improve the country's cybersecurity posture to safeguard its vital interests, national security, critical infrastructures, high-priority sectors, government services, and activities.

It is also concerned with stimulating the growth of the cybersecurity sector in Saudi Arabia and encouraging innovation and investment.

The Authority's pavilion at World Defense Show 2024 highlights the most prominent efforts and initiatives implemented to develop and build national capabilities specialized in cybersecurity, raise the level of cyber readiness among federal entities, and create a competitive environment that attracts local and global investment to the market in Saudi Arabia.

The Authority launched a group of strategic initiatives as part of the CyberIC program to develop the sector, contributing to the localization of cybersecurity technologies and training content, building specialized national capabilities, and supporting research and innovation programs.

The initiatives also aim to develop skills and knowledge for more than 10,000 Saudi men and women.

The first phase of the CyberIC program includes numerous initiatives, most notably the training of employees of national authorities, accelerating cybersecurity activities to stimulate the sector, and encouraging the development of national cybersecurity products, services, and solutions.

The cybersecurity accelerator is one of the main enablers in localizing its technologies by supporting more than 40 emerging companies and motivating entrepreneurs by establishing more than 20 local start-ups that provide solutions to cyber challenges.

The Authority also launched the CyberIC Innovation Program, in partnership with NEOM, to contribute to the growth of Saudi Arabia's cybersecurity sector, encouraging innovation and fostering investment.

The CyberIC Innovation Program aims to support the development of winning ideas and turn them into viable commercial products – thereby fostering localized innovative cybersecurity solutions, promoting investment in cybersecurity, and boosting the cybersecurity sector in Saudi Arabia.

It plays a critical role in nurturing local talent, creating a solid local cybersecurity company, and enabling cybersecurity entrepreneurs in a thriving environment that fosters innovation.

The Authority also implements a CyberPro program to train and qualify government cybersecurity employees. It aims to develop their capabilities and enhance scientific and practical skills.

During 2023, the National Cybersecurity Academy trained over 6,000 personnel representing more than 300 government agencies and contributed to developing the leadership capabilities of 160 cybersecurity officials within the Cybersecurity Leaders program.

The Authority issued the Saudi Cybersecurity Higher Education Framework and the Saudi Cybersecurity Workforce Framework (SCyWF) to achieve the academic quality of higher education programs and ensure that higher education outcomes are aligned with national needs.

The SCyWF framework facilitates creating, updating, and standardizing job descriptions in cybersecurity within national entities, as each role has a job description that includes a description of the tasks, knowledge, skills, and abilities required for each job role.

The Authority also depends on the cyber awareness of national authorities' employees and all society's age groups to establish a high cyberculture that enhances the values of preserving national security.

In 2022, the Authority launched the National Cybersecurity Awareness Program (Amen), an extension of its strategic initiatives to raise cybersecurity awareness within society.



Latest Tests Show Seine Water Quality Was Substandard When Paris Mayor Took a Dip

 Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
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Latest Tests Show Seine Water Quality Was Substandard When Paris Mayor Took a Dip

 Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)

Tests results released Friday showed the water quality in the River Seine was slightly below the standards needed to authorize swimming — just as the Paris Olympics start.

Heavy rain during the opening ceremony revived concerns over whether the long-polluted waterway will be clean enough to host swimming competitions, since water quality is deeply linked with the weather in the French capital.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a highly publicized dip last week in a bid to ease fears. The Seine will be used for marathon swimming and triathlon.

Daily water quality tests measure levels of fecal bacteria known as E. coli.

Tests by monitoring group Eau de Paris show that at the Bras Marie, E. coli levels were then above the safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters determined by European rules on June 17, when the mayor took a dip.

The site reached a value of 985 on the day the mayor swam with Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet and the top government official for the Paris region, Marc Guillaume, joined her, along with swimmers from local swimming clubs.

At two other measuring points further downstream, the results were below the threshold.

The statement by Paris City Hall and the prefecture of the Paris region noted that water quality last week was in line with European rules six days out of seven on the site which is to host the Olympic swimming competitions.

It noted that "the flow of the Seine is highly unstable due to regular rainfall episodes and remains more than twice the usual flow in summer," explaining fluctuating test results.

Swimming in the Seine has been banned for over a century. Since 2015, organizers have invested $1.5 billion to prepare the Seine for the Olympics and to ensure Parisians have a cleaner river after the Games. The plan included constructing a giant underground water storage basin in central Paris, renovating sewer infrastructure, and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.