Saudi Arabia continues to assert its international dominance in cybersecurity, securing the top position in the global rankings presented by the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook’s cybersecurity indicator for 2025. This premier ranking is a testament to the steadfast support and guidance extended to the Kingdom’s cybersecurity sector by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Their visionary leadership has propelled Saudi Arabia to consistently attain leading positions across various international metrics year after year. Notably, this includes the Kingdom’s designation as Tier 1 – “Role-modelling” in the Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, published by the UN’s specialized agency, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
This achievement is part of a broader array of successes stemming from the leadership’s insightful and proactive approach to building a comprehensive cybersecurity sector. This holistic strategy integrates both security and development aspects, addressing both local and international dimensions.
Building a resilient cyber landscape
The evolution of the Saudi cybersecurity ecosystem has been remarkable since the establishment of the National Cybersecurity Authority, which serves as the Kingdom’s dedicated national body for cybersecurity-related matters, and the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE), its strategic and technical partner. These two foundational pillars are crucial to the Saudi cybersecurity model, significantly enhancing the national cybersecurity posture, localizing priority technologies, and fostering information sharing and international collaboration.
The National Cybersecurity Authority is the principal entity responsible for cybersecurity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and serves as the national reference for all related affairs. Its mission is to bolster the Kingdom’s cybersecurity posture to protect vital interests, national security, critical infrastructure, priority sectors, and government services and activities. The authority undertakes several essential responsibilities, including promoting the growth of the cybersecurity sector within the Kingdom, encouraging innovation and investment, and establishing policies, governance frameworks, standards, regulations, and guidelines pertaining to cybersecurity. These initiatives are crafted to cultivate a resilient, secure, and trusted Saudi cyberspace that fosters growth and prosperity.
