Confirming the UAE's leadership in planning for the fourth industrial revolution and in information security

The National Archives educates its cadres and audience about the fourth industrial revolution and computer protection methods



The National Archives organized two virtual scientific lectures: "The Fourth Industrial Revolution, and Artificial Intelligence Applications" and "Protecting Your Computer", which deal with computers and the Internet. The National Archives is interested in enriching its cadres with vast information in this regard believing that the rapid growth of the fourth industrial revolution requires equipping human resources with knowledge and skills to keep abreast of the developments. As to computer protection, the National Archives considers it a must since its computers are full of important documents and information both on the personal and work levels, and everyone must be attentive to the endless hacking attempts to which personal and institutional computers and accounts are exposed worldwide.

The first lecture "The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Artificial Intelligence Applications ", was delivered by Dr. Ibrahim Hamad Al-Hinai, advisor and faculty member of the Higher Colleges of Technology. He talked about the future state, which is a state with vision, flexibility, initiative and successful and sustainable proactive ability to anticipate and explore early future challenges and crises, and ways to address them, and to exploit future opportunities based on national visions, values and objectives. He reviewed the most important drivers and trends that will affect the future of the overall development plans for the next 50 years in the social, economic, environmental, political, technological and demographic fields.

The lecture focused on the "UAE Centennial 2071", which aims at making the UAE the best country in the world, so the wise leadership identified specific pillars for the government, education, economy and society. It shed light on each pillar separately, noting that the UAE is working to attain the best education and the best economy, and to establish the happiest society and the best government in the world.

He pointed out that the Corona crisis sped up the UAE's orientation toward a scientific and digital future, adding that the UAE of the 21st century is heading rapidly to digital and technical evolution.

DR. Al-Hinai reviewed the UAE's strategy for the fourth industrial revolution, the framework of which consists of six axes: future leadership, future productivity, future experience, future security, future human beings, and the foundations of the future.

He pointed out that, today, the UAE is launching strategic initiatives to activate artificial intelligence, including financial technology, to contribute to promoting economic growth and sustainable development.

He noted that each of the previous industrial revolutions was characterized by technical innovation, and that the fourth industrial revolution is characterized by advanced technical innovations such as genetic modification, artificial intelligence and machine learning, including data storage technology and money transfer methods.

In the second lecture, "Protecting your computer", Mr. Abdullah Al Zarouni of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and   the Digital Government, confirmed the great interest shown by the UAE in building a secure information society. Then, he talked about information security, which deals with confidentiality, credibility and availability of information and cybersecurity, indicating the importance of information security.

Al-Zarouni spoke in detail about confidentiality, credibility and availability, and the importance of passwords to protect personal and work computers. Additionally, he pointed out some examples to highlight the importance of a password as a first line of defense against access to information.

He reviewed the most common passwords and provided examples of strong passwords and best practices.

He shed light on malicious software designed to access information, or damage computers without the owner's knowledge, adding that attackers use these programs to steal information, encrypt data and ask for money, destroy data, or manipulate victims for further attacks.

He shed light on the sources and signs of malware and virus infection to computers. It listed the most common types of malware, such as Ransomware, Virus, Worms, Trojans, and Spyware.