Kuwaiti official sheds light on cyber hazards

KUWAIT: Cybercrimes and hazards have turned into a major concern for many States across the globe, a senior Kuwaiti official affirmed yesterday. New and advanced modes of hacking emerge every day, thus they must be dealt with utmost seriousness, said Minister of Oil, Electricity and Water Dr Khaled AlFadhel, addressing inauguration of the Second Gulf Cyber Security Conference, patronized by His Highness Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The Kuwaiti Government has dedicated maximum attention to this issue due to its grave hazards to security of the homeland and the citizens, he said, citing as a tangible step the full-scale national scheme for cyber security, coupled with an “integrated executive road map that warrants continuous, serious and intensive effort in the coming three years.” The Government has set up the Kuwait National Cyber Security Center, tasked with beefing up the infrastructure and presenting diverse services to the State institutions to defend them against electronic hazards, he said.

Minister Fadhel affirmed that Kuwait made progress in the Global

Cybersecurity Index (GCI), ranking 72nd, expressing confidence that its status would improve at this level in the coming years. The GCI is a composite index produced, analyzed and published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to measure commitment of countries to cybersecurity in order to raise cybersecurity awareness. Noting that there has been mounting dependence on the internet, information technology and communications, the minister has affirmed that this technology is associated with plentiful hazards and provides means for offenders to perpetrate crimes against users; individuals and institutions.

Such offenses also target States’ security, installations and economies, thus all possible potentials and resources must be put at disposal of limiting these electronic dangers, he called. Meanwhile, Dr Safaa Zaman, Chairperson of the Kuwaiti Society for Information Security, called for new education on using technological means and social media. The two-day convention comprises associations, companies and experts from 10 states. — KUNA