Posted: February 19th, 2022

Cyber Security Rules, Policy and Privacy in Saudi Arabia

Cyber Security Rules, Policy and Privacy in Saudi Arabia
Name
Institution

Introduction
Today, the field of information and communication technology has experienced significant developments, especially its nature, diversity and versatility. These developments have contributed to increased technology movement and exchange across the globe. As a result, many countries now have more responsibility to strengthen the national cybersecurity framework to protect government institutions and private citizens from malicious attacks (Al-Sanea & Al-Daraiseh, 2015). According to Mohammed and Munir (2018, modern cyber warfare, which is the act of establishing cyberattacks that target online control systems and information networks, has emerged as a serious concern affecting today’s digital space. With this realization, Saudi Arabia included a critical pillar focusing on how it can develop its digital infrastructure as part of its Vision 2030 initiative (Dehlawi & Abokhodair, 2013). These developments are a clear indication of the increasing need to protect digital infrastructures from potential cyberattacks. This proposal aims to discuss how we can evaluate a cyber-security policy framework for public and private sectors in Saudi Arabia.
Scope of the Project
The research seeks to define the objectives and principles of establishing, implementing and maintain a cybersecurity framework in Saudi Arabia. The proposal offers cybersecurity controls and standards that are applicable to both the government and the public sectors. Among the areas to consider in this cybersecurity framework includes the protection of physical information such as the hardcopy, databases, software and other electronic services, Electronic machines such as ATMs, computers, Information storage devices like USB and hard disk, among others. Besides, premises and communication networks such as technical infrastructures will also be considered. Establishing this framework ensures that there a clear direction on the standard or acceptable cybersecurity requirements in Saudi Arabia.
Methodology
Designing the cyber-security policy framework to its environment should be guided by the data collected on existing cyber-security issues in both the public and private sectors in Saudi Arabia. In this case, data should be collected from information technology employees and managers in different sectors within Saudi Arabia. According to Middleton (2017), surveys in cybersecurity should include players in the banking and insurance sector, industrial companies, hospitals, educational institutions and government agencies. Undertaking this approach will provide crucial information about the common approaches being taken regarding information security policy within the organizations surveyed. As such, the survey questionnaire should be designed to this sampled population to paint a clear picture of the cybersecurity policy and measures within both the government and private institutions in the country. This methodology is aimed at describing the current state of information security practices in the sampled organizations, representing the Saudi cyber-security policy framework environment.
Conclusion
There is an increasing need to strengthen the national cybersecurity framework to protect government institutions and private citizens from malicious attacks from the preceding. Establishing, implementing and maintain a cybersecurity framework in Saudi Arabia will ensure that there a clear direction on the standard or acceptable cybersecurity requirements in the country. Interviewing employees and managers in different sectors within Saudi Arabia would help describe the current state of information security practices in the sampled organizations, representing the Saudi cyber-security policy framework environment.

References
Al-Sanea, M. S., & Al-Daraiseh, A. A. (2015). undefined. 2015 First International Conference on Anti-Cybercrime (ICACC). doi:10.1109/anti-cybercrime.2015.7351928
Alsmadi, I. (2019). Cyber security management. The NICE Cyber Security Framework, 243-251. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-02360-7_10
Dehlawi, Z., & Abokhodair, N. (2013). Saudi Arabia’s response to cyber conflict: A case study of the Shamoon malware incident. 2013 IEEE International Conference on Intelligence and Security Informatics. doi:10.1109/isi.2013.6578789
Management Association; Information Resources. (2018). undefined. IGI Global.
Mohammed, L. A., & Munir, K. (2018). Security challenges for cloud computing development framework in Saudi Arabia. Cyber Security and Threats, 485-500. doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-5634-3.ch026
Middleton, B. (2017). A History of Cyber Security Attacks, 113-118. doi:10.1201/9781315155852-22