SANS Institute to elevate Qatar’s cybersecurity capabilities

Doha, Qatar: SANS Institute, the global leader in cybersecurity training and certification announces SANS Doha May 2024 from 18 23 May at the InterCon...

Doha, Qatar: SANS Institute, the global leader in cybersecurity training and certification announces SANS Doha May 2024 from 18-23 May at the InterContinental Doha - the City. The training program offers three specialized courses that will equip participants with the skills required to secure OT/IoT systems, detect and remediate incidents, and build strong strategies for cloud and on-prem platforms.

In 2023, around 18% of Qatari businesses experienced a cybersecurity breach, with 5% enduring more than five incidents, each costing an estimated average of approximately $4.94m.

“To combat these attacks and meet evolving industry demands, SANS Doha provides a foundational framework of standardized skills and knowledge tailored for industrial cybersecurity professionals. Designed to upskill the workforce tasked with safeguarding and maintaining vital operational control systems, it ensures they are equipped to uphold safety, security, and resilience against both existing and emerging cyber threats,” says Ned Baltagi (pictured), Managing Director, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, at SANS Institute. “We aim to empower professionals to develop dynamic incident response protocols, alongside advanced abilities to detect, counter, and recover from a diverse array of threats within enterprise networks. This includes adept handling of challenges posed by APT nation-state adversaries, organized crime syndicates, and hacktivists.”

SANS Doha May 2024 will offer three specialized courses through both in-person training and simultaneous live online sessions: SEC504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, and Incident Handling; FOR508: Advanced Incident Response, Threat Hunting, and Digital Forensics and ICS410: ICS/SCADA Security Essentials.

“We are also pleased to see the nation’s efforts towards proactively building its cyber talent capabilities and enhancing digital literacy – from early stages of education, with Qatar’s National Cyber Security Agency implementing the ‘Educational Cybersecurity Curricula’ in 170 private schools, as well as training recent graduates, to investing in the skills of existing cyber professionals and retraining employees through programs such as SANS Doha May,” continues Baltagi. “We are happy to be partners in the nation’s commitment to securing its digital infrastructure and building a resilient cyber ecosystem, aligned with various government initiatives such as the National Cyber Security Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030.”