Kuwait’s Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT), in partnership with cybersecurity specialists Kaspersky Lab and regional IT specialists, Diyar, has hosted a cybersecurity conference.
The inaugural Cyber Defence Conference – which took place at the Radisson Blue Hotel in the Kuwaiti capital – aims to raise cybersecurity awareness in different industries in Kuwait and enhance preparedness and readiness across government and private organisations.
According to the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) statistics for the first quarter of 2018, 26.2% of users in Kuwait were affected by web threats while 50.5% of users were affected by local threats (malware spread in local networks by USBs, CDs and DVDs). The results also showed a 7.2% drop in ransomware attacks in the country.
Khalied Al Hatem, Head of Prevention and Incident Response at CAIT, said: “Raising cybersecurity awareness is a critical need across public and private sector organisations in the region and we are encouraged by the support and participation of global and regional leaders such as Kaspersky Lab and Diyar.
“We strongly believe that, when it comes to cybersecurity, awareness is the best prevention. Numerous groups and individuals look to the region as a target due to its enviable global position and it requires a cross-industry approach to build the level of education needed to secure Kuwait, both today and in the future.”
Amir Kanaan, Managing Director – Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Kaspersky Lab, said: “We are honoured to play a key role in this prestigious event, and this symbolises our commitment to cybersecurity in Kuwait, an integral market for us.
“Raising cybersecurity consciousness and boosting technical know-how are essential pillars in remedying concerns at both the public and private sector levels. Kaspersky Lab is aligned with Kuwait’s national vision and we look forward to introducing hands-on training, workshops and next-generation solutions and services that will help keep the country safe from cyberthreats.”
Sammy Elyan, Cybersecurity Principal Consultant at Diyar, said: “Diyar is proud to bring its regional knowledge and history to a forum such as this, to stand alongside CAIT and Kaspersky Lab to elevate the level of knowledge in IT and cybersecurity. We believe that government departments and businesses in Kuwait are quite advanced in terms of cybersecurity awareness, but for a such as this are still essential to constantly elevate the level of readiness in the market.”
A unique learning opportunity during the event was the Kaspersky Interactive Protection Simulation (KIPS) game. This exercise places business decision-makers and IT security teams in a simulated environment in which they face unforeseen cyberthreats. The challenge is to build a cyberdefence strategy based on various features and capabilities covered during the event.
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