DOHA: Qatar Development Bank (QDB), in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Agency, has launched the 'Cyber Security Manual for SMEs'aiming to enhance cybersecurity awareness and provide practical guidelines for SMEs in Qatar to protect their businesses from cyber threats.

The new manual covers a wide range of essential topics, including an introduction to common cyber risks, practical guidelines for implementing basic security controls, tips for enhancing employee security awareness, and basic security requirements.

Senior Manager of Advisory and Business Localization at QDB Hala Ali Al Misnad commented, "At QDB, we believe in the importance of digital transformation in the upcoming phase. We are continuously working on programs and initiatives that can enhance this transformation in Qatari SMEs, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030."

"We have launched this guide with our partners at the National Cyber Security Agency to emphasize the necessity of understanding cyber security fundamentals amidst increasing risks and to build and improve cyber security capabilities within the national entrepreneurial ecosystem," she added.

Eng Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Shafi, Director of National Cyber Strategies and Policies Department at the National Cyber Security Agency, praised the productive partnership between the agency and QDB in issuing guidelines for fundamental cyber security requirements for SMEs.

He stated, "The aim of this partnership is to help SMEs understand cyber security risks in the digital world, mitigate these risks by complying with basic guideline requirements, build an effective cyber security system within them, and guide them in building their knowledge and enhancing their capabilities."

The Cyber Security Manual for SMEs specifically addresses the needs of SMEs due to their crucial role in the national economy and their urgent need to bolster their defenses against increasing cyber-attacks. It also provides practical guidance on creating a cyber incident response plan, the importance of continuous employee training, and the safe use of cloud technologies.

Qatar Development Bank (QDB), previously known as Qatar Industrial Development Bank, was established in Qatar in 1997 by Amiri Decree No. 14 as a developmental organization with the primary objective of fueling industrial growth and driving the private sectors economic diversification. Over two decades of transformation, QDB has reinvented itself to become the main supporting arm for Qatars private sector and a powerful catalyst for socio-economic development through three access-based pillars to SME and private-enterprise support: Access to Finance, Access to Markets, and Access to Capability.

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