The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) has launched the National Program for Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) in cybersecurity to revolutionize the cybersecurity landscape by empowering the Cybersecurity RDI ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.
The program aims to accelerate the growth and impact of promising cyber research and bolster the development of innovative solutions for present and emerging cybersecurity challenges.
The Authority said that the program also intends to harness the power of national and international partnerships within the cybersecurity ecosystem.
Embarking on this transformative journey to leap forward in cybersecurity, NCA has revealed the program’s first phase by announcing three high-impact initiatives, “Cyber Research and Innovation Pioneer Grants”, “Cyber Industry Research Grants”, and “Cyber Innovation Bridges”.
According to the statement, “The program targets diverse stakeholders, including universities, research institutions, cybersecurity experts, researchers, and students specializing in cybersecurity, prioritizing eight national cybersecurity RDI areas, focusing on NextGen Cyber Defense, Cyber Resilience, Cyber-Physical Technologies and IoT, AI x Cyber, Cryptography and Quantum Security, Behavioral Cyber, Future of Cyber Threats and Attacks, and Cyber Order.”
The program is being developed in close collaboration with NCA’s technical arm, the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE). This strategic partnership ensures that the program aligns perfectly with the NCA’s objectives, which include developing human capital in the cybersecurity sector and increasing the impact of national Cybersecurity RDI contributions.
Recently, the Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority introduced a new framework regulating the provision of managed security operation center (MSOC) services in the Kingdom. This development restricts the ability of organizations from providing cybersecurity purposes lawfully on a cross-border basis from outside the Kingdom.
