EDITOR’S COMMENT
A measured approach
to data management
Johan Scheepers at Commvault points out businesses must
adopt a multi-layered security strategy, including
anti-malware, encryption, data protection and recovery.
L
aunched recently by His Highness
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid
Al Maktoum, Vice-President and
Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of
Dubai, the Dubai Cyber Security Strategy
is set to strengthen Dubai’s position as
leading innovator in data security and cyber
security risk management across local
businesses and government establishments.
Centered on the implementation of five
key domains ranging from cybersecurity
controls and resilience measures to
international collaboration, the new
Dubai strategy invites a comprehensive
holistic approach to tackling threats to
cyber security across the region. A key
aim of the strategy will be to increase
awareness and knowledge of existing
cybersecurity measures across Dubai’s
public and private sectors, creating a
Cyber Smart Society.
The Dubai Cyber Security Strategy is
set to build upon the UAE’s highly ranked
status for cyber security readiness. Having
previously been ranked 17th in the world
in the United Nations International
Telecommunications Union’s most recent
Global Cybersecurity Index released in
January 2016, the UAE has pursued a
continuous trajectory in demonstrating
innovation and thought leadership across
the field.
New institutions such as the National
Electronic Security Authority the
Computer Emergency Response Team
have recently been introduced at the
federal level, as well as Dubai Electronic
Security Centre and Abu Dhabi Systems
and Information Centre at the local level.
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The UAE also hosts regular cybersecurity
conferences, which is critical for
knowledge transfer.
Room for improvement has however
been identified through a survey by
IDC in 2016, which found that 80% of
local firms in the UAE lack the ability
to analyse cyber threats, while 52%
are unable to adapt and integrate risk
management solutions.
These results follow a broader trend
of global cyber security vulnerability
visible in the damaging ramifications of
the WannaCry ransomware attack made
A survey by IDC
in 2016, found
that 80% of local
firms in the UAE
lack the ability
to analyse cyber
threats, while
52% are unable
to adapt and
integrate risk
management
solutions.
Johan Scheepers, Technical Services Director
for the Middle East, South Africa and
Turkey, Commvault.
across 150 countries last month. Rapidly
becoming the worst digital disaster to strike
the Internet in years through the crippling
of transportation and hospitals across
the world, the WannaCry ransomware
attack has demonstrated the global need to
prioritise the implementation of effective
data security solutions.
In order for the objectives of the
strategy to be achieved, organisations in
Dubai must take a measured approach
to data management. Data is at risk
everywhere it may be stored. Whether
it is on-premises or in the cloud, data
needs to be protected and managed with
the same tactical approach to assure
that it will not be compromised by a
cybersecurity intrusion.
A multi-layer security strategy is
recommended, including anti-malware
protection, hard disk and file encryption,
and a standards-based data protection and
recovery solution.
For organisations across the region, each
of the above elements are critical to mitigate
cybersecurity risks and protect vital
information. A complete recovery solution
that covers applications, servers and end
user machines is the only way to minimise
business disruption when a ransomware
attack occurs in an organisation.
Issue 13
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