From left are Hungarian Minister of National Development Miklos Sesztak, Cyber Security Division executive director Khalid al-Hashmi of the Qatar Computer Emergency Response Team (Q-CERT), ITU secretary-general Dr Hamadoun Touré, and Ooredoo chief operating officer Waleed Mohamed during yesterday's press conference announcing today's opening of ITU Telecom World 2014. PICTURE: Jayan Orma.
Peter Alagos/Business Reporter
Qatar-based global telecom company Ooredoo was successful in repelling intrusions amid the series of cyber attacks launched against Qatar’s hydrocarbon sector and other critical organisations in 2013, chief operating officer Waleed Mohamed al-Sayed told Gulf Times.
Al-Sayed was speaking on the side lines of a press conference announcing the opening of ITU Telecom World 2014, which will run from December 7 to 10 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).
“Ooredoo customers had not suffered a single problem caused by these cyber threats and attacks because of the solutions that we had provided,” said al-Sayed.
Earlier this week, HE the Minister of Information and Communications Technology Dr Hessa Sultan al-Jaber’s keynote address at the Cyber Security Summit – Middle East revealed that last year’s wave of cyber attacks “caused some significant disruption at the national level.”
Asked if Ooredoo was among “critical organisations” affected by the attacks, al-Sayed said, “No…those who had been attacked were not using the solutions provided by Ooredoo. All the customers that we were serving were completely safe.”
Al-Sayed noted that Ooredoo is working with government in developing applications and solutions for security.
The company, he added, is into “faster and smarter” technologies in collaboration with app developers, OTT (over-the-top) application players, and device manufacturers “to make the next generation of innovation accessible to all.”
Al-Sayed also said Ooredoo will attempt to break a world record in mobile Internet speed after today’s opening rites for ITU Telecom World 2014. The attempt came just a few days after Ooredoo launched its 4G+, which now allows customers to reach up to 225Mbps.
Cyber Security Division executive director Khalid al-Hashmi of the Qatar Computer Emergency Response Team (Q-CERT) reiterated al-Sayed’s statement and stressed, “Cyber security has become a significant pillar in any economic development of nations. ictQatar is also treating cyber security as a fundamental component to improve the economy.”
He noted that Qatar has “invested heavily” on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as part of the solution to mitigate challenges in sectors such as transportation, education, energy, education, and health, among others.
“As for the country’s digital economy, ictQatar is trying to help Qatar minimise its dependence on hydrocarbon by introducing opportunities that would help entrepreneurs invest in ICT-related businesses,” al-Hashmi added.
ITU secretary-general Dr Hamadoun Touré stressed that the Internet of things, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, mobile networks, cloud computing, the “softwarisation” of networks, big data, and data analytics “are the backbone infrastructure behind of all technological developments worldwide that are rapidly changing our world today.”
He said ITU Telecom World 2014 provides a unique platform to bring together public and private sector, leaders of government, industry, international organisations, and media experts to explore developments in technology.
