JEDDAH: Since the launch of the Saudi Federation for Cyber Security, Programming and Drones (SFCPD) in late 2017, tech nerds in the Kingdom have felt that they have a place to exercise their expertise. The SFCPD has since created the perfect atmosphere for those interested in technology to unleash their ability and to benefit the public and private sectors in this field.
In its strategy to spread the awareness of the federation and its goals, the SFCPD has started its Cyber Tent in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah to provide entertaining and beneficial lectures and activities. The free-of-charge Cyber Tent has recorded a large number of male and female participants from mixed backgrounds to attend the lectures.
Saud Bawazeer, an expert programmer and entrepreneur who is one of the lecturers on the second day of the event, told Arab News: “The creation of SFCPD and this forum is amazing for us as a technology community. Cybersecurity is not only about organization protection, it protects individuals by spreading knowledge to be exercised in daily tech-related activities.
“We are calling out to all tech nerds: come and join us, share your expertise. We are shouting for all entrepreneurs to use this as their platform and work with us. Believe it or not, we are no different from Silicon Valley. We can create our own Riyadh or Sahara Valley if we work together.”
SFCPD is also concerned about gender equality. The board of directors has appointed the first CEO, Dr. Nouf Al-Rakan, a highly talented and experienced woman who has proven worthy of being in the chair. Dr. Fatmah Y. Assiri, a member of the faculty of computing at King Abdulaziz University, who attended the event, said: “I see the authorities have noticed the remarkable talents that Saudi females possess. Females are trustworthy and their contribution has enabled them to win lots of competitions over male candidates.
“Now, with the new guidance of the crown prince to prioritize the equality of gender workers, I believe females will have better chances in all areas, especially in this field, as I have noticed their skills.”
The Cyber Tent is an entertaining place for all people interested in technology. It’s a chance to meet each other and share experiences and knowledge in the field, Miznah Albahri, a new electrical engineering graduate, said. “I have enjoyed my time at the Cyber Tent. I came here because I am interested in building up applications to help me, even though I thought it would be more technical. But it was shocking in a very nice way as the lectures have covered the basics that any beginner needs to cover. I came to learn and enjoy my time, and that is actually is happening. I would come again for such events.”
SFCPD has also invited guests to enrich the event with their participation. Mohannad Al-Zahrani, an engineer and information systems analyst at King Abdulaziz University, said: “In order to adjust with the new stage of technology, it is essential to have a defense line to protect your data. It is similar to having a defense line to protect your territories. You are required to have the same defense for your data.”
Saudi Arabia is among the top three countries in the world that have been targeted by cyber-attacks in 2018 and the creation of SFCPD was to protect public and private organizations in the Kingdom.
These attacks could be more dangerous than the conventional harm caused by normal weapons. Al-Zahrani added: “The sharing of information between developers is the key to build better security, and this is what this event is designed for: the sharing of knowledge.
The Cyber Tent runs from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. until June 4 in King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah.