The TRA Hosts the Annual General Meeting of the OIC-CERT

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), represented by Computer Emergency Response Team (aeCERT), hosted the annual conference of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation – Computer Emergency Response Team (OIC-CERT), held from 26-28 September 2011, at The Palace, Dubai. This event is held in conformity with the goals and vision of the organization regarding information security. 

 

“We believe in the importance of the cooperation among the different computer emergency response teams in the OIC. Our national team will provide its expertise and support by providing emergency e-channels that link member countries, in addition to encouraging research and development of mutual technologies, drawing upon the progress of the telecommunications sector in the UAE and its regional leadership.” commented H.E. Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim, Director General of the TRA, on the conference.

 

“The aeCERT has certainly contributed in improving the standards and practices of information security in the UAE.  We are always ready to exchange our know-how with our fellow OIC teams, as this exchange benefits all of us, and aids in improving cyber security levels and the ability to handle the threats that might endanger our countries, especially in a constantly evolving, wide, electronic space,” added Al Ghanim.

 

The conference will tackle many topics related to cyber security and data exchange. The first day will be dedicated to workshops that will cover a wide spectrum of issues in this regard. On the second day, the conference will be formally inaugurated with the participation of member countries. The third and final day would host a meeting for the presidents of the Islamic country delegations, noting that Mr. Tariq Al Hawi, Director aeCERT at the TRA, will head the UAE delegation.

 

The OIC-CERT was established with resolution (3/35-INF) issued during the OIC Foreign Ministers meeting in Kampala, Uganda on 18-20 June 2008. The first annual meeting was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 14-15 January, attended by experts from fourteen countries representing cyber and network security institutions from Jordan, Iran, Indonesia, Pakistan, Brunei, Tunisia, Syria, Oman, Libya, Malaysia, KSA, Egypt, Morocco, and Nigeria. 

 

OIC-CERT was established to encourage and support the teams of member countries, seeking to strengthen the relationship between computer emergency response teams in member countries, support data exchange, prevent and fight electronic terrorism and cyber attacks, promote learning and awareness programs, and elevate the level of cooperation in technological research and development.

 

Notably, aeCERT aims to sustain a resilient and vigilant ICT infrastructure against a broad range of cyber security threats by encouraging a safe and secure cyber culture in the United Arab Emirates. Furthermore, by enhancing cyber security laws and assisting in the creation of new laws, aeCERT is spreading information security awareness across the UAE. It provides a central trusted point of contact for cyber security incident reports, and is fostering national expertise in information security, incident management, and computer forensics.