Cyber security research in the Arab region

In the Arab region where political tensions are recurrent, the strive for security is crucial. This applies equally to the cyberspace, where the need for cyber security is magnified by the level of digitization and technical penetration that the Arab region is experiencing. The Internet penetration rate is generally higher than 90% and in some cases, such as Kuwait, UAE, and Qatar, it approaches 100%. As such, many Arab countries have recognized that the security of cyberspace is an integral part of their economic systems and a matter of national security. This awareness has been followed by policies and actions. Cyber security can be considered as specific to the Arab region as computing itself. Many of the threats, software and hardware developments, and industrial endeavors relating to cyber security are not exclusively tied to the region but are instead of a global character due to the nature of digitalization.