The 17th edition of the World Cyber Security Summit opened Monday in Amman under the patronage of Prime Minister Bisher Khaswaneh, and supported by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship.

The two-day Summit (15-16 August) took place at the Ritz-Carlton in the Jordanian capital Amman. The Summit was organized by the Jordan Cyber Security Awareness Association as part of a global series brought to Jordan by Trescon, a global business events and consulting firm that specializes in hosting future-tech events across the world, Petra news agency reported.

In inaugural remarks on behalf of the Prime Minister, National Cyber Security Center Director Bassam Maharmeh said that cyber security is very important in all walks of life, and that digital transformation, along with modern technology, is a key driver in economic development as it opens the door to new opportunities in E-commerce and economic growth, but poses new challenges.

He added that threats targeting all sectors and data protection must be addressed so that each user can feel secure, that's why Jordan launched the cyber security law, as the National Cyber Security Center is the focal point in raising the cyber security structure.

Since its establishment, the Center has dealt with many cyber attacks and attempts targeting the government, while also spreading awareness of cyber security, he said, adding: “That’s why we cooperate with all sectors to protect data, as no single institution can alone protect all citizens.”

He pointed out that the Center will soon launch “Nashama Cyber” to train a large number of graduates in cyber security, and is also working to improve cyber security governance and issue licenses to guarantee the provision of best service to users through a number of institutions.

Jordan Cyber Security Awareness Association Chairman Mohammad Rifai said that the association was established to spread awareness of the most important data and not publish it before verification, as it worked to provide and spread best cyber security practices, and is working to build a national awareness system capable of addressing risks and threats.

Through this conference, Rifai pointed out, the association will also launch many societal and academic services and initiatives on cyber security awareness, and cooperate with its partners so that “this conference will mark a new stage for Jordan becoming a hub of knowledge and technical solutions in this field.”

Rifai noted that Jordan ranked 18 globally, and second in the Arab world, in cyber security, as stated in the UN International Telecommunication Union report, adding that the association seeks to advance even more along this path.

The conference focused on a wide range of topics, including: Jordan’s roadmap to the digital revolution through cyber security, cyber security of the Jordanian government, cyber security as an enabler and growth partner for modern business, and the Zero Trust Model: how to enhance application security, how to protect your data in times of constant communication, what is multi-layer security and how it protects your data, data security, top threats and best practices and meeting the needs of modern organizations.

The summit brought together more than 300+ C level attendees, including government officials, chief information security officers, chief information officers, CEOs and technology leaders from enterprises and government agencies in Jordan, to meet, network, and engage with global cyber security experts and technology innovators.