Jordan experienced a significant uptick in cybersecurity incidents in 2023, with a reported 80% increase compared to the previous year.
The National Cyber Security Center’s head, Bassam Maharmeh, disclosed that the country faced approximately 2,455 cyber incidents last year, a substantial rise from the 1,362 incidents reported in 2022.
This escalation can be attributed to the center’s enhanced threat detection capabilities, the rapid pace of digital transformation, and a global increase in cyber-attacks driven by geopolitical tensions.
The cybersecurity landscape in Jordan last year was dominated by two primary threat vectors: financially motivated organized cybercrime and state-affiliated espionage activities. The former involves cybercriminal gangs targeting institutions for monetary gain, while the latter consists of state-linked groups aiming to harvest sensitive information.
Risk assessment of these incidents reveals a diverse threat landscape, with 1% classified as highly critical, 15% as critical,
70% as moderate, and 14% as low in terms of potential impact. Notably, 119 institutions suffered from one or more cybersecurity breaches, with the private sector accounting for 18% and the public sector for the remaining 82%.
The breakdown of these incidents includes 136 attacks by sophisticated threat actors, 124 ransomware attacks, and 113 reconnaissance operations. The center’s proactive measures enabled it to detect 94% of these incidents, with the remaining 6% reported by the affected entities.
In response to the escalating cyber threat landscape, Jordan has made significant strides in digital transformation, underpinned by strategic government initiatives to enhance national cybersecurity resilience.
The enactment of the Cybersecurity Law in 2019, establishing the National Cyber Security Center in 2021, and the formation of the National Cybersecurity Council exemplify these efforts, creating a robust regulatory framework for the sector.
The center’s responsibilities extend to licensing cybersecurity
services, ensuring adherence to national standards, accrediting cybersecurity products, and setting guidelines for entities engaging with the government. Furthermore, it has doubled its threat detection capabilities, now monitoring 83 institutions and providing incident response support alongside capacity-building initiatives like the “Cyber Nashama” camps and the “Cyber Warrior” competition.
Maharmeh emphasized the center’s strategic focus on securing cyberspace through regulation, ensuring resilience, cultivating cybersecurity talent, and fostering collaboration. Given the open nature of cyberspace, he highlighted the necessity of inter-institutional cooperation to mitigate common cyber threats effectively.
Source: Jordan News Agency