The Cybersecurity Council strengthens national preparedness to confront future quantum threats
Abu Dhabi, November 27, 2017 – The UAE Government Cybersecurity Council announced significant progress in the country’s readiness for the post-quantum computing phase, on the sidelines of the activities of the second edition of the CyberQ conference, which was held in Abu Dhabi over the course of the 26th and 27th of November.
The Council confirmed that this progress achieved in the country’s readiness for the post-quantum computing phase comes through expanding cooperation with QuantumGate, the national platform supported by the Advanced Technology Research Council, which is specialized in quantum-resistant cybersecurity.
The Council stressed that this new phase indicates the UAE’s transition from the planning stage to large-scale implementation, which accelerates the country’s readiness to confront future quantum decryption threats across vital sectors.
The Cybersecurity Council and the Quantum Gate platform will work to enhance national readiness by accelerating the UAE’s transition towards secure cybersecurity in light of developments in quantum technology. Their joint efforts will focus on enhancing the country’s ability to predict and reduce risks before quantum decryption capabilities develop in the future, enhance readiness to confront threats in priority sectors, and take early systematic steps towards a large-scale migration of cryptographic systems.
With this transition from strategy to coordinated national implementation, the UAE stands among the first countries in the world to work on activating a comprehensive strategy beyond quantum computing.
The next phase of cooperation will focus on translating the national strategy into practical and comprehensive readiness at the systems level through three main programmes: These are the National Information Assurance Program, the National Cybersecurity Index Platform, and the National Program for Moving Beyond Quantum Encryption. Through the National Information Assurance Program, the Cybersecurity Council and Quantum Gate will work to strengthen basic security requirements and improve resilience among institutions in the public and private sectors. Through the National Cybersecurity Index platform, the two parties will work to enhance measurement, follow-up and monitoring capabilities at the national level.
As part of the national program for the transition beyond quantum encryption, cooperation between the Council and the platform will help identify crypto assets at risk, set priorities for transition paths, and direct entities with long-term data protection needs. This is done by setting clear baselines, sectoral guidelines, and early roadmaps for the transition, to enable the country to move forward with decisive steps that go beyond the stage of awareness to practical readiness, making it among the first countries to implement a national model for post-quantitative security.
His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, stressed that the Council’s approach in this direction is very clear and said: “Our approach is clear in this area, as we anticipate threats and do not wait for them to occur. Thanks to the advanced capabilities of the Quantum Gate platform that supports our national efforts, today the UAE is building quantum-resistant defenses to ensure that our critical infrastructure remains safe the moment quantum decryption becomes possible.”
The partnership between the Cybersecurity Council and QuantumGate will also work to integrate a broader set of QuantumGate technologies into national initiatives.
These technologies include a crypto discovery tool that gives entities a comprehensive view of all crypto assets within large and complex environments; QSphere, a quantum-resistant VPN and data protection suite designed to protect sensitive information; Additionally, Salina and Secure VMI are expanding the collaboration beyond post-quantum protection to meet the broader cybersecurity needs of enterprises and government agencies.
For her part, Dr. Najwa Arraj, CEO of the Quantum Gate platform, said: “Our work with the Cybersecurity Council has moved from basic research to the full deployment stage. The Institute of Technology Innovation’s advanced encryption and Quantum Gate’s security platforms are now being implemented across the national infrastructure, ensuring the UAE’s protection from vulnerabilities emerging in the quantum era.”
This long-term cooperation strengthens the UAE’s position as a regional and global leader in the field of post-quantum cybersecurity, and highlights the importance of close coordination between the government and national technology providers in building a secure digital foundation for the future. Through coordinated implementation and enhanced quantum-resistant readiness at scale, the Cybersecurity Council and QuantumGate are working together to support the nation’s ability to protect sensitive information and enhance its overall national resilience.
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