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Bahrain’s standing as a regional and global leader in cybersecurity was highlighted yesterday during a major regional conference held at Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir.
The kingdom’s achievements were highlighted at the Arab International Cybersecurity Conference and Exhibition 2025 by National Security Adviser and Royal Guard Commander Lieutenant General Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who kicked off the opening ceremony.
The third edition of the two-day event is being held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
It is being organised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in co-ordination with leading cybersecurity conference DEF CON, marking a first-ever collaboration in the region.
The event brought together global cybersecurity specialists, decision-makers and government and private sector entities.
During the event, Shaikh Nasser affirmed that Bahrain’s hosting of the conference this year represents a significant milestone that reflects international confidence in the kingdom.
“Bahrain stands as a regional and global leader in the cybersecurity domain,” he said during the opening ceremony. “The conference serves as a strategic platform, bringing together experts, decision-makers and leaders from around the world to exchange knowledge and experiences, and to showcase the latest advancements and technologies in cybersecurity.
“This contributes to strengthening regional and international co-operation, supporting Bahrain’s digital transformation journey and reinforcing its position as a leading hub for advanced cybersecurity ecosystems that promote global digital security and stability.
“It provides an important opportunity to support the efforts of the National Cybersecurity Centre in building a safe and resilient digital environment, empowering national talent and enhancing cybersecurity readiness through specialised workshops and training programmes.”
Notable attendees yesterday included Southern Governor Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Deputy National Security Adviser and Deputy Supreme Defence Council Secretary General Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa and NCSC chief executive Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa.
The first day of the event included a number of sessions including talks on deepfakes, offensive AI, defensive automation, a case study on the development of cybersecurity for FinTech in Bahrain, and more.
Other activities and workshops included DEF CON Villages activities where participants polished their skills and learned new ones. All workshops, which included courses on telecommunications security, cyber defence simulations, digital forensics, cloud infrastructure and incident response, were sold out very quickly prior to the event.
There were also demo labs and technical exhibitions by private firms showing off the latest global solutions and technologies in cybersecurity.
Tomorrow’s final day will include talks on cyber resilience, artificial intelligence challenges, women in cyber leaderships, cybersecurity for satellites, autonomous naval systems, drones and smart airspace.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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