Qatar Hosts First-Ever Common Criteria International Conference in MENA Region.

Doha: The Common Criteria International Conference (ICCC), organized by the State of Qatar under the sponsorship of the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), has commenced in Doha. This marks the first occurrence of the event in the Middle East, running until November 6, 2024. The conference is a key annual gathering that brings together cybersecurity experts, government officials, industry professionals, researchers, and academics from around the globe to discuss and collaborate on cybersecurity standards, practices, and technologies. According to Qatar News Agency, the conference aims to enhance engagement among the community of common standards, relevant regulatory bodies, organizations, and members of the Global Standard Agreement, alongside policymakers. During the inauguration ceremony, Eng. Dana Yousef Al Abdulla, Director of National Cyber Assurance and Governance Affairs at the NCSA, delivered a presentation titled "Qatar's Vision for Enhancing the Cybersecurity Resilience of the Supply Chain." The presentation reviewed Qatar's journey in cybersecurity, initiated with a combination of fundamentals, including regulatory legislation and tools, as well as Qatar's accession to the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA) in 2015. The presentation also detailed Qatar's vision for the future, particularly focusing on the issuance of the National Cyber Security Strategy 2024-2030. It outlined the core pillars and key objectives that Qatar will emphasize to enhance its cybersecurity system comprehensively, with a strong focus on collaboration among state institutions and exploring future steps. The conference addressed critical topics, including the increasing challenges facing the international common criteria community, enhanced solutions to address these challenges, and progress in advancing international technological communities. It highlighted the importance of understanding customer requirements to ensure that products meet market demands regarding necessary cybersecurity standards and testing me thods. Updates related to the common standards scheme were announced, along with progress reports and roadmaps for upcoming phases shared among participating states. On the sidelines of the conference, NCSA staff held meetings with various institutions to discuss how regulators of critical sectors can leverage common standards, as well as services provided by the Qatari Common Standards Program for companies. This conference serves as a platform to showcase locally advanced innovations and technologies, attracting investments and business opportunities aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to create a knowledge-based economy. It also offers opportunities for companies and professionals to stay updated on the latest industry developments and benefit from lectures and panel discussions at the event. The common standards consist of guidelines and international specifications that provide a framework to assess and adopt IT security, ensuring that IT products meet the required security standards fo r government and other sectors' technological systems.