SANS Doha September 2023 to prepare Qatar’s next-gen cyber guardians

In the heart of Qatar’s digital revolution, SANS Institute – the world’s foremost authority in cybersecurity training – unveils SANS Doha September 2023. From September 16-21, this seminal event at the InterContinental Doha – The City will prepare Qatar’s next-gen cyber guardians. The second training event hosted by SANS in Qatar this year, SANS Doha September 2023, is designed to equip participants with the essential skills to adeptly address both security challenges and prospects within cloud ecosystems, as well as those needed to safeguard Industrial Control Systems (ICS) networks.

As part of its National Vision 2030, Qatar has been actively working on building a strong cyber posture, particularly due to the increasing digitalization of various sectors. To support the growing digital economy, the nation is dedicated to developing the necessary human talent for a skilled cybersecurity workforce through training graduates, upskilling cyber professionals, and reskilling employees. Consistent recognition of how vital it is to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive data has also contributed to the region’s cyber awareness.

“New technologies introduce new risks. More businesses in Qatar are moving sensitive data and shifting mission-critical workloads to the cloud, across multi-cloud platforms, without fully understanding the security concerns. While cybersecurity capabilities in Qatar have witnessed a remarkable surge, cyber-attacks are always evolving. In turn, defense tactics must evolve faster and hit stronger,” says Ned Baltagi, Managing Director, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, at SANS Institute.

SANS Doha September 2023 features two practical courses led by certified instructors and real-world cybersecurity experts, Kenneth Hartman and Kai Thomsen. Kenneth Hartman will cover SEC488: Cloud Security Essentials, enabling professionals to use the services of any of the leading cloud service providers (CSPs) with confidence by identifying and mitigating different risks in various services offered by CSPS and implementing appropriate security controls in the cloud.

Kai Thomsen will lead ICS515: ICS Visibility, Detection, and Response. The course will qualify participants with the core skills necessary for any ICS cybersecurity program, teaching professionals to understand their networked ICS environment, monitor it for threats, perform incident response against identified threats, and learn from interactions with the adversary to enhance network security. This is also critical in understanding and running a modern-day complex automation environment and achieving root cause analysis for non-cyber-related events that manifest over the network.

Additionally, Thomsen will host a SANS Doha Community Night session on September 18 from 4:30 – 5:30 PM, where he will outline the current OT threat landscape and share recommendations on preparing against ICS attacks. Participants, as well as those with an avid interest in cybersecurity, can leverage the opportunity to learn more about trends, best practices, and the latest cybersecurity developments with an industry-leading practitioner and network with like-minded individuals in the cybersecurity community, either in-person or virtually.

Classes will run from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM AST, including breaks. With flexible training formats available, participants can also opt for a virtual, Live Online program if they cannot attend in person.

“Educating the cyber workforce in the region is illimitable, and training programs such as SANS Doha September play a pivotal role in bridging the cybersecurity skills gap in the Middle East. Based on student feedback following our previous edition of SANS Doha, held in May this year, the training was extremely successful, valuable and relevant. Participants were especially appreciative of the exceptional caliber of our instructors, and the quality of training they delivered during the course,” Baltagi concluded.

Upon completion of the course, participants can immediately apply what they have learned to secure their organizations and progress in their cyber careers.