The key components of strong cybersecurity

• At Huawei Connect 2022, Huawei CTO Paul Scanlan explained that strong cybersecurity depends more on good habits and processes than on advanced technical knowledge.

[Dubai, October 2022] One of the main topics, not only at Huawei Connect but in the modern world in general, is cybersecurity. Paul Scanlan, CTO of Huawei Technologies, helped break down the basic components of strong cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity has been a hot topic lately. We often hear stories of hackers, scams and thefts in the news, from friends and family, and on social media – how millions in crypto assets were stolen, how a user database was breached, how a server was infected. It is one of the cornerstones on which our modern digital world is built, and yet most people are not as informed about it as they should be.

The path to keeping our data safe, secure and private is easier than you might think, and has less to do with technical specifications or advanced programming knowledge. It is about community, trust and collaboration.

“Cybersecurity is not a problem that can be fixed alone. Today, technology is advancing faster than governments can develop core competencies and regulatory policies. This technology, in turn, is accessible to a large group of people anywhere in the world,” explained Mr. Scanlan.

Therefore, it is not the job of government, industry or vendors to fix cybersecurity problems on their own. They have the financial resources to invest in technology, tools and training, but ultimately it is a shared responsibility. It is about all these entities working together to help each other. Everyone must take part at the same level. Otherwise, if there is a gap, that is where the attack will come. Remember: if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

This goes hand in hand with Huawei’s philosophy and the second core component of effective cybersecurity: transparency and openness. “Here at Huawei, we have earned a reputation for trusting our partners and being open with them,” he said. “We supply them with some of the most sophisticated security solutions and products, such as 5.5G and fibre optics, but also with trust and collaboration.”

The third and final main component of strong cybersecurity is education. Having basic knowledge about your passwords and online information is key to establishing a baseline. Responses to cybersecurity issues are usually reactive rather than proactive. The pandemic accelerated our digital education by forcing us to be locked down with our digital devices. Suddenly we have had to pay more attention to the information we put into the digital world. We are more aware of regulatory policies, technology and innovation. It is our responsibility to pass this knowledge on to children too, so they know how to navigate this new digital world. Huawei also knows how important this is, which is why it has set up educational programmes such as Seeds for the Future around the world to promote education in technology, innovation and communications.

The road to a safe cyberspace for everyone will be tough, but if we remember to work together and collaborate, be honest, transparent and open, and learn from our mistakes to keep improving ourselves and our children, we will get there faster than we can imagine.

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