WAM Abu Dhabi, May 23rd, 2012 (WAM) -- The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) exemplifies its unwavering commitment to cyber security through its participation in the First International Cyber Security Forum for Energy and Utilities.

The TRA initiative, aeCERT- the UAE's Computer Emergency Response Team, is a sponsor of this vitally important event taking place from May 21-24, at the Hilton in Abu Dhabi.

Protecting national critical infrastructure such as energy and utilities is a primary concern of governments in the region. Ensuring security from physical threats and increasingly of cyber threats due to the vast networks in which these systems operate is essential to safeguarding society. The TRA, through aeCERT, has put in place several contingencies to safeguard the UAE.

Addressing the international audience at this esteemed premier event, Majed Al Mesmar, TRA Deputy Director General said: "Exercising the highest level of cyber security is integral to the continued safety of these vital infrastructures. As technology continues to advance and ICT becomes ever more infused into the daily operations of nearly every sector in the global marketplace and within each and every nation, outpacing this advancement with the appropriate cyber security measures is essential. Digitally streamlining data and relying heavily upon technology to carry out basic operations of national infrastructures makes operations more efficient; yet with each milestone of production and operations efficiency through digitalization, comes an equal if not greater risk of catastrophe should those systems fail and we aren't adequately prepared." Many industrial sectors use the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Systems; it was created for efficiency in business and operations and this forum aims to address the growing need for further security to protect the vital data that the systems hold. The first day of the First International Cyber Security Forum for Energy and Utilities is a workshop titled: SCADA '&' Industrial Control Systems- Security Insights Workshop, which aims to address this concern. The following two days are dedicated to the Forum on cyber security for this sector. An exhibition takes place during the forum and the Vendors Day concludes the entire event.

"As technology continues to evolve and influence the way we conduct business and live our lives, so does the threat to our cyber security as threats rapidly take shape and maintain pace with advances. In order to stay abreast of our cyber security, we must indeed develop advances as well as the protection in equal measure. The TRA established aeCERT to promote security and safeguard society for the benefit of the UAE community as well as the international business that takes place in this economic powerhouse in the Middle East," concluded Al Mesmar.

WAM/ES/AM