21 Jan 2023
UAE Cyber Security Council Leads Quality Initiatives To Improve Digital Security
The "Defensive Shield" initiative is the latest in a long line of innovative and promising initiatives undertaken by the UAE "Cyber Security Council" under the leadership of Dr. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti.
Cyber Pulse initiative
On July 28, the Council launched the "Student Cyber Pulse" initiative, which began at the start of the academic year in collaboration with higher technical institutions and a number of universities around the nation.
This initiative aims to train 3,000 undergraduate students in information security or information technology disciplines to perform critical roles in cybersecurity for state institutions.
The "Cyber Pulse" initiative was conducted in response to the UAE's technological development and the growing number of digital technology users, which has been accompanied by an increase in cyber threats. A variety of challenges and risks to the expanding use of cyberspace have evolved, making cybersecurity immunization one of the top priorities for the establishment of a safe digital environment.
This initiative targets all sectors of society, teaches them how to use modern technologies safely, and promotes digital security in the country, with the training program including responding to information security incidents, interacting with information security management hubs, and practical training using cyberattack simulators.
This step entails a continual series of training programs aimed at all sectors of the country, particularly critical infrastructure sectors, with the ambition to create a generation of UAE task forces with the highest level of information security training and qualification.
"Addressing Gaps" initiative
Earlier, the Cyber Security Council launched the first phase of the national initiative "Addressing Gaps" in August 2021. This initiative is designed to improve the cybersecurity system, striving to boost the state's position in global competitiveness indicators, and strengthen the trust of members of society and governmental and private institutions in participating safely in system protection.
This national initiative aims to beef up the UAE's cybersecurity system as well as to provide the greatest levels of protection for the UAE's key infrastructure, which includes the energy, telecommunications, and defense sectors. The initiative also aims to promote a cybersecurity culture and secure the components of the country's digital transformation and acquisitions across all sectors, and it is built on a forward-thinking vision and leadership guidance based on future scientific realities.
The Cyber Security Council hopes to strengthen the country's cybersecurity system by initiating this national initiative. The "Addressing Gaps" initiative seeks to guarantee the greatest levels of safety for the UAE's key infrastructure, which includes the energy, telecommunications, and defense sectors.
Cyber Pulse initiative for women and families
In addition, Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation, Mother of Nation, launched the "Cyber Pulse for Women and Families" initiative in collaboration with the General Women Union and its strategic partners, to enhance Emirati women in cybersecurity and qualify them to contribute to the dissemination of digital awareness.
The UAE Cyber Security Council, in partnership with other organizations, is expanding the "Cyber Pulse" initiative to include various national institutions with the goal of improving cyber security standards and practices in the country. It also works to protect digital infrastructure and create a secure and solid cyber environment that enables individuals and institutions to use modern technologies safely in response to wise leadership and vision and its willing to develop a secure digital environment.
The creation of this initiative originates from a strong understanding of what Emirati families and women represent as the initiative's most critical pillars. The initiative is part of the UAE Cyber Pulse Initiative for Women and Families, which aims to increase women's participation in cybersecurity, create teams of specialized female cyber cadres, promote digital awareness and safely guide the positive use of technologies, and spread a culture of community responsibility in the digital space.
The General Women's Union was eager to launch the UAE Women and Family Cyber Pulse Initiative in order to promote and qualify UAE women to keep up with the State's proactive approach in the face of the various challenges posed by accelerated digital technologies. It also seeks to optimize the use of advanced digital infrastructure owned by the state for the benefit of society, since women are the heart of a vibrant society, and as the primary school for the development and honing the skills of the UAE's sons and daughters.