In the midst of Qatar’s digital transformation, the SANS Institute, a global leader in cybersecurity education, introduces SANS Doha September 2023. Taking place from September 16 to 21 at the InterContinental Doha – The City, this event aims to equip the next generation of cyber defenders in Qatar. This marks the second training event hosted by SANS in Qatar this year, with SANS Doha September 2023 focusing on providing participants with essential skills to tackle security challenges and opportunities in cloud ecosystems, as well as safeguarding Industrial Control Systems (ICS) networks.
As part of Qatar’s National Vision 2030, the nation has been actively strengthening its cybersecurity posture in response to the increasing digitization of various sectors. Qatar is committed to nurturing a skilled cybersecurity workforce through initiatives such as training graduates, upskilling cyber professionals, and reskilling employees. The recognition of the critical importance of protecting essential infrastructure and sensitive data has further heightened cyber awareness in the region.
Ned Baltagi, Managing Director for the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey at SANS Institute, highlights the evolving cyber landscape in Qatar: “New technologies introduce new risks. More businesses in Qatar are migrating sensitive data and mission-critical workloads to multi-cloud platforms without a full grasp of the associated security concerns.
While Qatar has made significant strides in cybersecurity capabilities, cyber threats continue to evolve. Consequently, defense strategies must adapt rapidly and become more robust.”
SANS Doha September 2023 offers two practical courses led by certified instructors and cybersecurity experts, Kenneth Hartman and Kai Thomsen. Kenneth Hartman will instruct on SEC488: Cloud Security Essentials, empowering professionals to confidently utilize services from leading cloud service providers (CSPs) by identifying and mitigating risks associated with various CSP offerings and implementing appropriate cloud security controls.
Kai Thomsen will lead ICS515: ICS Visibility, Detection, and Response. This course equips participants with essential skills for ICS cybersecurity, enabling professionals to understand their networked ICS environment, monitor it for threats, respond to identified threats, and extract insights from interactions with adversaries to enhance network security. This knowledge is crucial for managing complex automation systems and conducting root cause analysis for non-cyber incidents manifesting on the network.
In addition to the courses, Thomsen will host a SANS Doha Community Night session on September 18 from 4:30 to 5:30 PM, where he will discuss the current Operational Technology (OT) threat landscape and offer recommendations for defending against ICS attacks. Participants and anyone interested in cybersecurity can benefit from this opportunity to explore trends, best practices, and the latest developments in cybersecurity with an industry-leading practitioner and network with like-minded individuals in the cybersecurity community, either in person or virtually.
Classes will run from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM AST, with flexible training formats available, including a virtual Live Online program for those unable to attend in person.
Baltagi concludes, “Educating the cybersecurity workforce in the region is of utmost importance, and training programs like SANS Doha September play a pivotal role in closing the cybersecurity skills gap in the Middle East. Based on student feedback from our previous SANS Doha edition held in May this year, the training was highly successful, valuable, and relevant. Participants particularly praised the exceptional caliber of our instructors and the quality of training they received.” Upon course completion, participants can immediately apply their newfound knowledge to enhance their organizations’ security posture and advance their careers in cybersecurity.
