Identifying Cybersecurity and Information Privacy Challenges During Digital Transformation in Industry (Study: Ministry of Communications and Information Technology)

Abstract

The world's increasing focus on new technologies and the emergence of smart cities, despite their potential capabilities and benefits, has raised serious concerns about cybersecurity threats and citizen privacy challenges. Sana'a is no exception to this rule in its smart city transformation process. This research paper, through a descriptive survey, aims to provide a framework for managing cybersecurity and privacy challenges in Sana'a's transition to a smart city. In this research, these challenges were identified through in-depth desk studies and the application of the Fuzzy Delphi method among a sample of experts (including ten senior managers and relevant officials from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Digital Transformation Department, and the Digital Library in Sana'a). Furthermore, the importance (weight) of each challenge was determined using the Fuzzy Best-Worst Method (FBWM). The results of this study indicated the high ability of the proposed framework to accurately identify and weighthese challenges. The research results indicated the high ability of the proposed framework to accurately identify and assess these challenges, as well as identify the three "challenges—"legislative challenge," "lack of secure communications," and "insecure APIs and protocols"—as "the most significant cybersecurity and privacy challenges in the development of a smart city in the capital, Sana'a. Preventive and corrective measures were presented for each challenge accordingly.