At the ‘Remote’ conference in Dubai, Dr Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, the head of cybersecurity in the UAE government, shared a sobering story about a 12-year-old girl who was bullied and harassed incessantly due to misspelling a word on social media. The harassment was so severe that the girl was forced to drop out of school, and it took six months of rehabilitation and counselling before she could return to her studies. This experience highlights the serious consequences of cyberbullying and the need for greater awareness and protection against it.
Dr Al Kuwaiti emphasized that cybercrimes such as bullying, blackmailing, extortion, hacking, and ransomware have increased exponentially with the rise of digital transformation. Institutions that hold vast amounts of data, including educational institutions, are particularly vulnerable to cyber threats, and it is crucial to protect sensitive information and maintain robust cybersecurity policies.
To combat cybercrime, Dr Al Kuwaiti stressed the importance of educating children about safe online practices and the potential dangers of the digital world. He urged parents to sit down with their children and remind them to be cautious when sharing information online, to be mindful of the behaviour on social media platforms, and to promote ethical conduct online. Cybersecurity education is especially important in the education sector, where remote transformation has made huge advances, and the protection of student data is of utmost importance.
Dr Al Kuwaiti also called on companies to pay close attention to their cybersecurity policies and practices, citing an example where a gap in security was breached within 12 hours, resulting in significant data leakage. He highlighted the importance of conforming to cybersecurity best practices and maintaining secure systems and networks to prevent data breaches.
Overall, Dr Al Kuwaiti’s message at the ‘Remote’ conference was clear: the digital world has opened up many new opportunities, but it also poses significant risks, particularly in terms of cybercrime. We must all take responsibility for protecting ourselves and our data by prioritizing cybersecurity education and best practices.
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