The Department of Government Support, represented by the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA), announced the launch of a Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign in collaboration with the Cyber Security Council, as part of its efforts to promote a cybersecurity culture among Abu Dhabi Government employees and members of society in general.
This campaign is one of several initiatives being worked on by ADDA as part of the pillars and objectives of the Abu Dhabi Government cybersecurity strategy, which aims to reduce cyber threats and risks, promote a cybersecurity culture, and spread awareness as an effective means of confronting challenges, in addition to strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position in the field of cybersecurity and protecting the Emirate’s digital infrastructure.
The awareness campaign was launched last month under the theme “Cybersecurity Starts with You”, highlighting the importance of engaging all users of cyberspace in efforts to protect it from digital threats and attacks, which are constantly increasing and becoming more rampant over time.
In September, the campaign will focus on the theme “Your Password is Your Shield,” emphasizing the importance of password security to protect users in cyberspace. The campaign theme “Protect your Data” will shift the focus to data privacy and spreading awareness about the importance of protecting personal data and avoiding sharing it with others to avoid exposure to hacking attempts, which may cause users material, financial, personal, or social harm in October.
The campaign will conclude in November with a focus on the theme “Don’t Be a Victim of Social Engineering Attacks,” where it will highlight ways to avoid social engineering attacks, which include a series of techniques used to trick users into taking certain steps or revealing confidential and personal information, making them vulnerable to hackers and incurring losses.
The awareness campaign, according to His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Abdel Hamid Al Askar, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, is an important component of Abu Dhabi’s cybersecurity strategy, which aims to create a secure digital environment in accordance with best global practices in this field.
His Excellency said: “This campaign is very significant because it will enable us to spread the culture of cybersecurity among Abu Dhabi Government employees and the general public, and raise the level of their cyber maturity, by promoting safe and correct cybersecurity practices within and outside the work environment as well as emphasise the importance of their role in protecting cyberspace.”
Amna Al Blooki, Director of Cyber Security Regulation and Compliance at the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, said: “We must work to develop the sense of cyber responsibility among government employees in particular, and members of society in general, to protect the country’s resources and ensure the security of governmental and non-governmental data to ward off the risks of cyber-attacks and the reduction of losses that may be caused by hackers.”
Al Blooki pointed out that the Authority has prepared toolkits containing flyers, videos and awareness content to be shared with Abu Dhabi Government employees, in addition to emailers, wallpapers and email signature designs to ensure that the campaign has a widespread reach. She added: “We have been keen to prepare awareness materials in a way that covers various topics related to cybersecurity, such as passwords, data privacy, social engineering and more, to suit targeted audiences. We will publish a series of cyber tips across various social media platforms and radio stations, and will also organise events and community activities to ensure that the campaign messages reach the largest possible audience.”
