Qatar, region must continue cybersecurity drive: Scholar – The Peninsula

Qatar, region must continue cybersecurity drive: Scholar – The Peninsula

Dr. Abdullatif Shikfa

Cybersecurity awareness and skill enhancement should be a more prominent focus of policymakers in the region, Dr. Abdullatif Shikfa, Assistant Professor at the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST), has stressed.

In an interview with The Peninsula, Dr. Shikfa stated that despite the ongoing drive and adoption of cybersecurity measures in Qatar and the region, more still needs to be done as people catch up with the internet.

“Qatar is taking cybersecurity very seriously and has put cybersecurity and privacy at the top of the FIFA World Cup 2022 event agenda by developing a cybersecurity framework.

Regarding awareness, we should always do more. Still, I am optimistic as the younger generation that we see at UDST and those who visit seem to have heard of cybersecurity and cyberattacks and have started using social media more carefully,” Dr. Shikfa said.

“That being said, the region still faces a cybersecurity skill shortage estimated to be 2.7 million positions worldwide. This is why Qatar still has room for improvement on the technical side,” he added.

By 2030, 500 billion devices are expected to be connected to the internet. As the Internet of Things (IoT) gains traction, the inadequate security standards in IoT devices will