The global threat of cyber attacks from hostile international and domestic actors against states, commercial enterprises and private persons is rising exponentially. Foreign states use cyber operations against governments, private companies and individuals to steal information, influence populations, and damage physical and IT critical infrastructure. 
The presentation and discussion will analyse the extent of the cyber threat to GCC states from within and outside the region. It will also cover Iran, both as a cyber aggressor and a victim. It will examine the defences they have in place and the effectiveness of these protective measures against different categories of hostile actors. It will then propose action that GCC states might take now, individually and collectively, to minimise the threat.
 

Bio:
Ian Parmeter worked for 25 years in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where his diplomatic postings included Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Russia (as Deputy Head of Mission) and Lebanon (as Ambassador). From 2004 to 2015 he was Assistant Director-General at the Office of National Assessments. He is now a PhD candidate at the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, Australian National University, focusing on Russian policy towards the Middle East in the Putin era.