Makkah: The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) stated that more than 200 national entities participating in the Hajj season 1445 AH, and over 900,000 pilgrims benefited from the various tracks of the “Cybersecurity Enhancement Program for Hajj Season.”
The program was designed to enhance the cybersecurity readiness of systems and services provided during this year’s Hajj season, develop national capabilities specialized in cybersecurity, and raise cybersecurity awareness among pilgrims and national entity staff.
This program contributes to bolstering cybersecurity during the Hajj season and supports national efforts to harness all capabilities to provide the best services to pilgrims.
The program included four main tracks: Technical Cyber Assessments, Cyber Threat Monitoring and Response, Cyber Capability Enhancement, and Cybersecurity Awareness.
The NCA conducted over 240 cyber assessments to identify cybersecurity risks to assets and systems related to the Hajj season, providing support to enable na
tional entities to deliver their services to the pilgrims reliably and securely.
The technical cyber assessments included reviewing the architecture and configurations of national entities’ technical infrastructures, network security, web application security, and mobile application security.
The NCA continues to activate the Cyber Operations Room through the Cyber Threat Monitoring and Response track, which was established to support national entities participating in the Hajj season and operating around the clock.
Moreover, specialized teams are in place to monitor and analyze cyber threats, collaborate with national entities, and address any cyber developments or incidents during the season through swift response teams dedicated to cyber incidents.
The NCA conducted the “Cybersecurity Exercise for Hajj Season 1445 AH” in the capacity-building track for cyber capabilities with over 200 national entities, involving more than 600 cyber security officials and experts.
The exercise simulated various types
of cyber attacks and implemented response mechanisms, starting with preparedness, detection, and analysis and proceeding to containment, recovery, post-incident procedures, information sharing, and lessons learned.
This exercise aimed to enhance cyber readiness and develop the skills of cybersecurity specialists within national entities, empowering them with the latest methods used in cyber attacks and equipping them with strategies to deal with such incidents.
This is achieved through cyber exercises that simulate realistic scenarios, constantly updated and executed via a specialized platform built, hosted, and operated locally in collaboration with the technical arm of the NCA, Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE).
The NCA also implemented a series of initiatives under the cybersecurity awareness track to raise awareness among pilgrims and national entities’ staff.
These initiatives included organizing an interactive cybersecurity awareness exhibition at the Hajj and Umrah Terminal Complex and Te
rminal 1 at King Abdulaziz International Airport.
Additionally, it organized a cybersecurity awareness exhibition for the Hajj season 1445 AH in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, along with specialized sessions to educate about the importance of cybersecurity, benefiting over 8,500 staff members from participating national entities during the Hajj season.
The NCA, in partnership with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah during this year’s Hajj season, issued a “Cybersecurity Awareness Guide” to raise awareness among pilgrims and Umrah performers about cybersecurity.
The guide, available in 16 languages, highlights the importance of cybersecurity awareness and its role in mitigating cyber risks.
It covers various topics, including social engineering techniques, phishing methods and how to avoid them, the importance of safe internet browsing, application security, regular mobile phone backups, and other subjects. It aims to foster a high level of cyber awareness among pilgrims during the Hajj season.
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ource: Saudi Press Agency