QATAR NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY STRATEGY FOREWORD The Internet has connected us to people all over the globe in ways that were unimaginable a decade ago, reducing barriers to communication and promoting cooperation in every area of our personal and professional lives. Cyberspace has become a dynamic and integral part of our society, propelling economic growth and innovation and enriching our lives in countless ways—and it will continue to expand and afford us even more opportunity in the future. However, with these great rewards come new risks to the very infrastructure that underpins our ability to use the Internet safely and securely. Cyberspace, with its unlimited borders, provides those who would do harm with unparalleled opportunities to interfere with individuals and businesses. Luckily, we do not have to face this formidable task of cyber security alone. In this era of increasing—and increasingly malicious—cyber attacks of all sorts, keeping our networks and our people safe is one of the greatest global challenges facing all nations. To address those challenges, Qatar is ramping up its cyber security efforts as well as working with our counterparts across the globe to ensure an open and secure cyberspace. In 2013, the Prime Minister established the National Cyber Security Committee to address the cyber agenda at the national level and to ensure that all public and private entities are adopting the right cyber agenda. And, we have developed a National Cyber Security Strategy, which is outlined in the pages of this document. The objectives are very clear: safeguard the nation’s critical information infrastructure; respond to and recover from cyber attacks; establish a legal framework and regulations to establish a safe and secure cyberspace; foster a culture of cyber security that promotes safe and appropriate use of cyberspace; and enhance our national cyber security capabilities. While the government will lead the effort to safeguard government systems and networks, to succeed, cyber security must be a shared responsibility of government, businesses institutions, and individuals, and stakeholder coordination is essential. As new, complex and global cyber security challenges emerge, Qatar is well positioned to be vigilant in enhancing the country’s cyber readiness and resilience and protecting cyberspace for future generations. Inspired by the leaders of our nation, as envisioned in the Qatar National Vision 2030, we will continue to harness the power of information and communications technology to ensure a prosperous future for all of our people. Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber Minister of Information and Communications Technology v