Saudi to offer 1,000 cyber security scholarships

Saudi Arabia’s National Cyber Security Authority has reached a cooperation deal with the Ministry of Education to fund cyber security degrees for 1,000 students.

The agreement will see scholarships offered to 200 students a year over five years with the aim of improving the country’s cyber security capabilities.

Candidates will need to meet certain requirements to apply for the programme including qualifications from a list of accredited universities and courses.

The National Cyber Security Authority was established last November following a series of high profile attacks on the kingdom.

Read: Saudi establishes cyber security authority

It is tasked with boosting the protection of networks, IT systems, operating systems, hardware and software components, services and data located in the kingdom.

In January 2017, the kingdom issued warnings relating to a new variant of the Shamoon virus that crippled the systems of oil giant Saudi Aramco in 2012 in one of the most damaging cyber attacks ever recorded.

Read: Saudi warns on cyber defense as Shamoon virus resurfaces

Organisations affected by the January attack included the labour ministry, which was unable to renew or transfer residence permits weeks later, according to reports.

Read: Saudi labour ministry still crippled by Jan cyber attack