As reported by Saudi Gazette, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recorded over 2 million cyber-attacks during the month of the Hajj season.
The statement was delivered directly by the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdul Fattah Mashat, in an interview with Al-Saudiah.
According to Dr. Mashat, the multiplied increase in electronic attacks that occurred this year was largely due to the policy of reopening the Hajj to the world, which caused attacks to come from different countries from all over the world.
Furthermore, Dr. Mashat explained that although Hajj e-registration, which is adopted in this year’s Hajj season, has succeeded in suppressing fake hajj campaigns, it is still considered weak to interfere with the e-systems and the e-tracks. In the same interview, Dr. Mashat revealed that cyber attacks targeting Saudi Arabia mostly targeted the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
He explained that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah was targeted mainly by cyber-attacks because the most critical component of the services provided by the Ministry is technology, which is why e-attacks against the Kingdom primarily targeted the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
From the data he obtained, Dr. Mashat revealed that most cyber amateurs carried out most cyber-attack sessionals carried out only a few.
Dr. Mashat confirmed that the identity of the parties carrying out the cyberattack was known to the Ministry, and the National Cyber Security Authority had worked extensively and professionally at all levels to ensure the safety of the Kingdom.
He closed his statement by emphasizing that there is no priority for registration for this year’s Hajj because the selection of prospective pilgrims is carried out by lottery electronically without human intervention. Muslims who are not elected are expected to understand the Ministry’s rules.
Saudi Arabia has started to open registration for the hajj pilgrimage this year’s hajj season to all countries in the world by issuing one million permits for hajj pilgrims from within and outside the country after two years of limiting the hajj pilgrimage to only a few Muslims living in the Kingdom due to the coronavirus pandemic.
