Protecting national boundaries goes far beyond border checkpoints in airports, seaports and land crossings. Although many military commanders must focus on beefing up lines of defense with Soldiers and tanks, those charged with cyber security must focus on preventing and patching electronic security holes to stop terror and organized crime groups from disrupting the security of cyberspace.
As nations depend on the Internet to provide services to its citizens and electronically link government agencies, this new front requires the expertise and cooperation of military and civilian leaders. There is no doubt that the mission of cyber security is daunting — it requires expertise and vigilance to identify and prevent security breaches. Just as the names of military commanders who lead their men to victory have become well-known, the names of the exemplary leaders in the field of cyber security are gaining recognition. Dr. Sherif Hashem, vice president for cyber security at the Egyptian National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA), is one of the successful leaders who protects his nation’s cyber boundaries against malicious attacks.
After the December 2014 establishment of Egypt’s High Council for Cyber-Security, Dr. Hashem was called to serve on the 24-member body dedicated to creating a national strategy to secure the infrastructure and networks of government agencies against cyber attacks.
His professional background is filled with accomplishments, and his resume reveals the legacy of a hard-working man who has held many influential positions in his field. From 2004 to 2013, he was the executive vice president of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency. His work was essential in establishing the Egyptian Root Digital Certificate Authority for e-Signature and the Software Intellectual Property Rights Office. He was also able to facilitate cooperation between information and communications technology companies with research and development institutions.
Dr. Hashem is also responsible for setting the framework for establishing and operating the Egyptian Computer Emergency Response Team at the NTRA. He is on leave from his professorship at Cairo University.
His academic journey started with a bachelor of science degree in communication and electronic engineering (distinction with honor), followed by a master of science degree in engineering mathematics from Cairo University. In 1993 he earned a doctorate in industrial engineering from Purdue University in the United States. Dr. Hashem also completed the Senior Executive Program at Harvard Business School.
Dr. Hashem built his team at NTRA by selecting experts and talented individuals in the field of cyber security to halt attempts to undermine Egypt’s cyber security and ultimately build stability. His impressive reputation and experience in his field have led to positive and collaborative relationships with other cyber security leaders in the region and world.
“Electronic hackers do not have a specific profile and have various objectives. In Canada, for instance, a 12-year-old child successfully hacked into the minister of interior website with the motive of curiosity and meant no harm,” Dr. Hashem said in an interview with Egyptian TV. “But there are many organized crime groups like the ones who attempt to hack into the financial sector in Egypt. Those are known criminals who aim to steal money and personal information. In addition, there are countries who have electronic armies that use hacking as a tool for spying, and in some instances they stage attacks against other nations. Therefore, cyber security is a matter of national security.”
He continued: “The goal of the center is to educate people about the dangers of hacking, especially in government agencies. The center is also responsible for setting a cyber security strategy to prepare the nation to counter any cyber attack. The government agencies must protect their websites and report any breaches or attack to the authorities and cooperate with them for the investigation and damage assessment analysis. There is no one in the world who can claim they are protected 100 percent unless they unplug the Internet wires. Therefore, the agency that falls victim to hacker attacks needs to speak out and seek help from the authority. There is no shame if your network has been hacked.”
One year after Dr. Hashem assumed his position with NTRA, the Egyptian minister of communication and information technology announced that Egypt leads all other African nations in national cyberspace readiness. In addition, Egypt was ranked 27th out of 193 countries in a Global Cybersecurity Index published by the International Telecommunication Union in December 2014, on the same level with Denmark, France and Spain. This is a milestone to make Egypt proud.