Latest news with #NationalCyberSecurityCenter
Daily Tribune
26-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Brings DEF CON to GCC
Bahrain is set to make regional history as it welcomes DEF CON, one of the world's most respected cybersecurity conferences, for the first time in the Arab world. The event is being held through a strategic partnership with the Arab International Cybersecurity Conference & Exhibition (AICS). The third edition of AICS will take place on November 5th and 6th at Exhibition World Bahrain, under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Hosted by the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), the event will bring together global cybersecurity experts, decision-makers, and industry leaders. Landmark Partnership This year's edition marks a pivotal moment, with Bahrain becoming the first country in the Arab region to collaborate formally with DEF CON. Organisers say the move will significantly raise the technical calibre of the event while offering a new level of interactivity and innovation to attendees. As part of this partnership, AICS will introduce interactive DEF CON Villages focused on emerging security domains such as artificial intelligence, industrial control systems, cloud technologies, and space cybersecurity. Participants will also experience cutting-edge Demo Labs where students, researchers, and startups can showcase cybersecurity tools and ideas directly to global experts. The goal, organisers said, is to nurture talent and encourage disruptive thinking across sectors. Beyond demonstrations, the two-day summit will feature technical workshops, specialised training, high-level panel discussions, and an expansive tech exhibition led by top cybersecurity firms worldwide. Bahrain's Cyber Role Officials say the event strengthens Bahrain's growing reputation as a cybersecurity leader in the region, offering a collaborative platform for public-private dialogue and high-level strategy sharing. The partnership between AICS and DEF CON positions the Kingdom at the forefront of regional cyber capability-building and knowledge exchange.
New York Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
U.K. Retail Giant M&S Says Customer Data Was Compromised in Cyberattack
Marks & Spencer, the large British retailer, said on Tuesday that some customer data had been stolen in a cyberattack last month, an incident that has left the company unable to process online orders for weeks. In an email to customers, M&S said that while some personal data, potentially including contact details and dates of birth, may have been accessed during the attack, there was no evidence that it had been shared. No card or payment details nor account passwords were compromised, the email said. M&S, which reported more than 13 billion British pounds (roughly $17.2 billion) in annual revenue in the year ending in March 2024, reported the incident to government and law enforcement officials. The disclosure followed recent attacks on other British retailers. In late April, Harrods experienced brief disruptions, restricting internet access at its sites as a security measure. Co-op, another British retailer, reported that a cyberattack last month caused limited impact to some back office and call center services. Ransom attacks, which sometimes aim to disrupt services in addition to stealing customer data, have been increasing in frequency and severity. In recent years, hospitals have been crippled by attacks, including in Britain last year, when hospitals had to cancel more than 800 planned operations, and 700 outpatient appointments needed to be rescheduled, including 97 cancer treatments, in the first week after the incident. It remained unclear who perpetrated the attacks and if they were connected. Britain's National Cyber Security Center said in a statement this month that it was working with the affected companies. 'These incidents should act as a wake-up call to all organizations,' said Richard Horne, the agency's chief executive. He urged companies to ensure they had appropriate measures in place to prevent future attacks. The National Cyber Security Center was working to understand the nature of the attacks and to provide counsel to the sector.
Bloomberg
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
UK Cyber Security Chief Names China as Dominant Hacking Threat
The UK has named China as the dominant threat to national cybersecurity after a series of hacks and breaches involving British government departments and critical infrastructure. 'China remains the pacing threat in the cyber realm,' Richard Horne, the chief of Britain's National Cyber Security Center, said in a rare speech on Wednesday. 'The continued activity that we're seeing come from the Chinese system remains a cause for profound and profuse concern,' he warned, describing Beijing as an 'adversary.'
Al Bawaba
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Portugal and Spain power outage: Latest updates
ALBAWABA - A "major" power outage across the Iberian Peninsula, which also affects Spain and portions of France, was notified by Portugal's electrical utility on Monday afternoon. Also Read What caused Europe's massive power outage? It stated that "all plans to restore power supplies have been activated in stages in coordination with European energy producers and operators" and that "the possible causes of this incident are being analyzed." The Spanish energy distribution firm, meanwhile, stated that it might take six to ten hours to get power back to a sizable portion of the nation following a broad blackout. Parts of Portugal and Spain experienced mayhem due to the power outage, as traffic lights malfunctioned and caused congestion. As hospitals lost power and transportation networks shut down, people found themselves stuck in elevators and metros. According to informed sources, a crisis committee was established in Spain and the governments of Portugal and Spain convened to examine the power loss, which momentarily impacted areas of France. Due to a severe power outage that affected both Spain and Portugal, the Spanish train operator declared in a breaking news broadcast that it had suspended all train services by the evening. Portugal's National Cyber Security Center said in a statement that there was no proof the disruption was the result of a hack. Reporters were informed by Eduardo Brito, the company's chief operational officer, that the power outage was "exceptional and unusual." Later this afternoon, however, Portugal's Minister of Development stated that the country's power loss "may be due to a cyberattack." The prime minister of Portugal went on to state that "nothing is ruled out, but there is no indication that the power outage is related to a cyberattack." The power outage in Spain and Portugal affected metro networks, phone lines, traffic lights, and ATMs, including the capitals of both countries. The Spanish prime minister convened a National Security Council meeting in the presidential palace to address the problem, according to an Al Jazeera correspondent. According to a European Commission spokesperson, the Commission is corresponding with national authorities in Portugal and Spain to determine the reason behind the power outage. The president of the European Commission stated that she has discussed the situation with the Spanish prime minister and that she is keeping an eye on it with national and European authorities as well as the Electricity Coordination Group. Separately, the power failure caused difficulties and stoppages at several major European airports in France, Portugal, and Spain, according to navigation data from the Flightradar website, which specializes in tracking aviation traffic. The Portuguese electricity company said the power loss was triggered by an unusual weather occurrence on the Spanish grid and could take a week to restore regular service. The President of the European Council said there are no signs of a hack related to the outage and that Portugal and Spain's electrical grid managers are investigating. He also said he is in touch with Portugal and Spain's prime ministers about the power outage.
Ammon
29-03-2025
- Business
- Ammon
10 sectors in Jordan classified as critical infrastructure: NCSC
Ammon News - The National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) has identified 10 critical infrastructure sectors in Jordan, as the center has the authority to identify critical infrastructure networks and their sustainability requirements, pursuant to Cybersecurity Law No. 16 of 2019. According to the document defining critical infrastructure sectors, the following sectors in Jordan are considered critical infrastructure sectors: (government services sector, industry and trade sector, financial and banking sector, communications and information technology sector, energy sector, health sector, agriculture, water and environment sector, transportation sector, education sector, defense and security sector), according to Al-Mamlaka. Critical infrastructure is defined by law as a set of electronic systems, networks, physical and non-physical assets, or cyber assets and systems whose continued operation is essential to ensure the security of the state, its economy, and the safety of society. there are three criteria that, if met by a sector, are considered a critical infrastructure sector: state and economic security, and community safety, according to the document. In addition to these criteria, a number of additional criteria have been adopted, which together form the basis for defining the critical infrastructure sector: ensuring business continuity, the Kingdom's reputation, the number of beneficiaries of the sector's sustainability, and the exclusivity of services provided by the sector.
