EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Internet has been an unprecedented engine for development, social progress, and innovation. However, it is also used by cyber criminals, hackers, hacktivists, and foreign intelligence services who want to harm us by compromising or damaging our digital infrastructure. The unlimited borders of cyberspace have provided them with an unparalleled opportunity to interfere with individuals, businesses, government, and other institutions, and they use some of the most malicious and advanced techniques. One of the greatest global and strategic challenges of our time is how to sustain a safe environment while continuing to expand the benefits of a free and open cyberspace. Qatar’s rapidly developing economy is using information and communications technology (ICT) as a platform for innovation and prosperity. Resilience and security in cyberspace are vital to Qatar’s continued success and growth. Therefore, a comprehensive national strategy is required to address current and emerging threats and risks. In 2013, Qatar established the National Cyber Security Committee (Committee) to provide a governance structure for collaboratively addressing cyber security at the highest levels of its government. The Committee developed Qatar’s National Cyber Security Strategy (NCSS), which represents a blueprint for moving forward to improve Qatar’s cyber security. The NCSS combines good governance with a set of cyber security initiatives, measures, and awareness programs that will result in an efficient protective strategy in the long term. The NCSS is based on a deep understanding of the threats and challenges Qatar is facing—from malicious actors to a shortage of workers with the necessary cyber security skills and a lack of reliable local providers of cyber security services—and is divided into several sections. Chapter 2 describes the threats and Qatar’s existing capabilities in detail. Qatar’s current capabilities to respond to the threats—from policy instruments such as the National Information Assurance Policy, and the Banking Supervision Rules to the technical and operational expertise in Qatar’s Computer Emergency Response Team (Q-CERT), a trusted authority that promotes the identification and prevention of cyber attacks for the government and critical sectors—provide a strong foundation for continuing to improve Qatar’s cyber security. Chapter 3 describes Qatar’s strategic approach to national cyber security. Qatar’s vision is to establish and maintain a secure cyberspace to safeguard national interests and preserve the fundamental rights and values of our society. The vision is supported by five objectives that determine where action will be taken to deliver benefit and improve Qatar’s cyber security: §§Objective 1: Safeguard the national critical information infrastructure; §§Objective 2: Respond to, resolve, and recover from cyber incidents and attacks through timely information sharing, collaboration, and action; vi