Communications and Information Technology Commission Organizes Training Course on Domain Name System Security Extensions for the Internet

The Communications and Information Technology Commission, in cooperation with RIPE NCC, organized a training course on Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC), with the participation of 11 entities from government bodies, organizations, and internet and telecommunications service providers.

Eng. Raed bin Ibrahim Al-Fayez, Director of the Saudi Network Information Center, stated that the domain name service is one of the national internet infrastructure services, and that the security of the domain name system is important; the Commission is therefore keen to activate it on the international top-level domains designated for the Kingdom (.السعودية and .sa), as well as to engage with entities, institutions, and companies on ways to activate DNSSEC on their networks and services, study the challenges, and develop plans to ensure the continuity of services in the future, taking into account the challenges and risks arising from internet piracy.

The organization of this workshop comes within the framework of the Commission's keenness to enable the use of DNSSEC, and its commitment to keeping pace with technical developments in the region and the world to ensure the continuity of positive growth for all vital sectors that rely on the IT and telecommunications sector in the Kingdom.

Paul Rendek, Director of External Relations at RIPE NCC, said: "We are pleased with our contribution to building the capabilities and skills of young people in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through training courses that come within the framework of our strategic partnership with the Communications and Information Technology Commission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." He noted that this training program will give Saudi trainees a unique opportunity to manage and implement DNSSEC in their institutions and companies, in addition to activating their role in supporting the exchange of expertise on all matters related to DNSSEC across the GCC states and the Arab region.

DNSSEC is a set of technical specifications for securing and protecting the information provided by the Domain Name System (DNS), which uses the Internet Protocol (IP) system on the internet.

The main objective of this training course is to lead and build capabilities in the field of cybersecurity in the Kingdom, as it enables participating entities to learn about DNSSEC and protection and take them into account in their networks, applications, and services. A total of 24 employees from various institutions and departments took part in the training course.