PM opens fifth Information Security Conference

DOHA: Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani has inaugurated the Fifth Information Security Conference for the Financial Sector organised by Qatar Central Bank (QCB) at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort and Convention Hotel yesterday. The opening session was attended by a number of their Excellencies ministers and senior officials from the banking sector.

The Prime Minister also toured the exhibition organised on the sidelines of the conference, where he took a look at the participating national and global companies showcasing the latest technologies in information security, the solutions to various sectors related to information security, information infrastructure and cybercrime.

Delivering the opening speech, H E Ali Shareef Al Emadi, Minister of Finance, has called for a unified legislative framework among the countries of the world for safe electronic banking transactions and prevent organised electronic crimes.

A unified legislative framework will help the world from protecting themselves from the organised criminals who try to exploit the existing lacunae in the separate legislations. As cyber crimes are always a cross-border activity, there is an urgent need for a rapid coordination between countries. The Minister said that the State of Qatar has recognised the importance of information security in the financial sector since the sector plays an important role in the economy, and due to the important role played by this sector in the economy, several years ago.

The Minister of Finance said the Prime Minister and Interior Minister established the National Cyber Security Committee, specialised in the preparation of information security policies and programs.

Its members include representatives of all ministries and sectors in the country to coordinate and cooperate among it to implement policies and plans to provide a high level of information security and contribute to tackling any attempts to hack the electronic systems of the state.

At the international level, the Government of Qatar is also working in coordination with international and regional organizations to enhance information security efforts and benefit from international expertise in this area and to apply the best international standards and practices, he added.

The Minister pointed out that the shift to digital banking has led to a variety of risks facing several levels of banking, including the payment and settlement system, customer data and the infrastructure of information networks within banks, which could threaten the loss of confidence in the banking system.

He stressed that this situation requires close cooperation between government agencies and the banking sector and information technology institutions to develop an integrated vision on how to coordinate efforts to address the electronic risks.

The world is currently witnessing an important development of electronic crimes of all kinds, as new and sophisticated methods have been developed as a result of the tremendous progress and development in the field of technology and means of communication and associated systems, which has doubled international efforts to reduce its spread and reduce the risks of surrounding information security.

Experts and specialists around the world have agreed on the need to find the best solutions in the area of information security to detect and deal with electronic risks in advance.

The Finance Minister said that the Information Security Conference for the financial sector is part of the efforts of the State of Qatar and the Central Bank of Qatar to safeguard the security of information in the financial sector, in order to enable the financial institutions in the State to play their role in sustainable development, reaching the goals and objectives and realizing the Qatar National Vision 2030.

Addressing the opening session, Guillermo Christensen, Partner in the White Collar Defense and Government Investigation Group and Chair of the Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Practice at Brown Rudnick, said there are challenges facing vital infrastructure, especially in the information security for private sector companies.

He reiterated the importance of the public sector to provide support to companies in that sector which helps in responding to cyber attacks and achieving the principle of protection and security of user information.

Christensen said governments have come a long way in the field of information security in the last decade however, this does not rise to the required levels, especially with regard to information security in particular. He added that the world is currently witnessing radical and important transformations, especially with regard to internet speeds and technological development, which requires playing large roles in the public and private sectors in order to strengthen the infrastructure necessary to protect information security.

Christensen reiterated the importance of coordinating efforts between the public and private sectors, especially as governments have more information than the private sector and therefore have to help the private sector companies to expand information security to ensure the privacy of users and customers and reduce vulnerability to cyber attacks.

Executive Director of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Dr. Alfred Hannig said information security in the financial sector is one of the major challenges facing both governments and institutions. Hannig highlighted the importance of this conference as a platform for exchanging experiences and updates on the protection of information in the financial sector, which is a fundamental pillar in the local economies and the global economy in general. He stressed the need to create systems for the protection of electronic sectors in the financial sector to achieve sustainability and provide greater guarantees and confidence in the financial sector, especially in light of growing concerns about the breakthroughs that are made by electronic devices which have become simple and available to everyone.

Hannig highlighted the importance of finding solutions that limit the risks related to electronic uses, to protect the security of information from any threats especially in view of the global trend towards enhancing financial coverage in various developed and underdeveloped countries.

He said the awareness amongst government agencies and private institutions on the increased risk of cyber attacks has heightened.

These entities are starting to take action to address the risks of information security in various aspects to ensure the security of the financial sector and help the use of modern methods under the breadth of institutions that provide financial services.

Founder and CEO of Allied Wallet Andy Khawaja also highlighted the importance of cooperation between all parties in order to provide the best solutions in the field of information security and reduce cyber attacks by strengthening mechanisms of protection effectively, as hacking and piracy of banking data grew by about 33 percent in the past years.

افتتح معالي الشيخ عبدالله بن ناصر بن خليفة آل ثاني رئيس مجلس الوزراء ووزير الداخلية فعاليات المؤتمر السنوي الخامس لأمن المعلومات في القطاع المالي تحت شعار”تأمين الأصول الرقمية” وذلك بفندق الشيراتون.

حضر الافتتاح عدد من أصحاب السعادة الوزراء وكبار المسؤولين من القطاع المصرفي وضيوف البلاد.

وعقب الافتتاح قام معالي رئيس الوزراء ووزير الداخلية بجولة بالمعرض المصاحب للمؤتمر حيث اطلع على مشاركات الشركات المحلية والعالمية والتي تستعرض أحدث ما توصلت إليه التكنولوجيا في مجال أمن المعلومات والحلول المطروحة لشتى القطاعات المتعلقة بأمن المعلومات والبنية التحتية المعلوماتية والجرائم الإلكترونية.