ALKHOBAR, 27 January 2004 — While business in Saudi Arabia has just about ground to a halt due to all attention and resources being shifted to the pilgrimage activities, Dubai’s exhibition calendar continues. INTERSEC 2004, the sixth international exhibition for commercial security, police, fire, safety and rescue opened on Sunday and concludes today. The event is being held at the Dubai World Trade Center and features more than 200 companies from 27 countries.

“Exhibits at INTERSEC 2004 include a wide range of the latest fire fighting and fire alarm systems, electronic detectors and the most advanced control systems used in commercial buildings,” said Geoff Dickinson, managing partner of the organizing company, Epoc Messe Frankfurt. “Also on display are the latest entry control systems, building protection equipment, emergency installations and security control networks. Providers of data security programs and safes in addition to e-commerce protection programs are exhibiting their solutions at the show.”

“Highly reliable sources estimate the total value of safety and security related spending in the GCC region to be $1.2 billion. This amount is spent by public administrations and the commercial sector,” added Michael El-Nayal, managing partner of the organizers. He pointed out the growth rate of the market, excluding military spending, is 10-15 percent annually.

At INTERSEC, Advanced German Technology (AGT), a supplier and integrator of security products and solutions focusing on the Middle East, launched the first encrypted GSM mobile phone using a published source platform. AGT will be distributing the GSMK-manufactured CryptoPhone in the region.

A fact, little known by the average user, is that GSM mobile phone communications can technically be intercepted at multiple points of the network. Areas that are particularly vulnerable include the radio transmission link between mobile phone and base station, as well as the directional microwave links used by network operators between base stations and switching equipment. Foreign intelligence agencies have listened into GSM networks routinely for years. Additionally, the equipment to conduct intercept operations against GSM mobile phones is so cheap, that its use by criminal and other elements has become a serious threat.

“Mobile phone communication is not as secure as most users think,” explained AGT Managing Director Anas Chbib. “These conversations may be intercepted easily by anyone with cheaply purchased equipment and the desire to listen in on another party’s telephone conversations. Although this may not be a major problem for most users, certain commercial users and security forces require protection against interception. Only an open source platform with the full source code published for review can be regarded as sufficiently secure. The GSMK CryptoPhone is the only existing GSM mobile phone featuring that.”

The use of two very strong and well-researched algorithms, AES and Twofish, using 256-bit keys is a unique feature of the GSMK CryptoPhone. A new key is used for each secure call and is generated by a 4096-bit Diffie-Hellman key exchange. In addition to the GSM-based encryption, a software for telephony via ISDN or modem is provided for free download on the manufacturer’s website, www.cryptophone.de.

“Protecting private information with strong and trustworthy encryption has become difficult,” pointed out GSMK’s CTO Frank Rieger. “Proprietary or ‘secret’ algorithms of dubious quality, and encryption that is too weak to protect against modern computing power are commonplace in the telecommunications market. The GSMK CryptoPhone’s strong cryptographic design combined with the published source code offers a convincing alternative for users who demand a security solution they can trust.”

Chbib stressed, “This phone is not a ‘black-box’ device with only scarce technical information available, as is the case with other products in the market. We will hand out all the details of its inner workings — even before the phone is purchased!”

Now that we’ve had an update from Dubai, let’s move on to Davos. At the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Microsoft announced a technology partnership to create and implement information and communications technology projects that will help developing countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Microsoft and the UNDP will work together to build capacity in developing countries around the world, by providing technology-enabled training for youth and adults in community education centers. By making available skills training, content, curricula and other new resources, this partnership will help expand UNDP’s ongoing development efforts and will encourage the exploration of creative, technology-based solutions to the world’s most pressing development challenges. The alliance will draw on the resources of Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential program, the company’s global initiative to deliver computer literacy and job skills training to underserved communities.

Microsoft and the UNDP have already collaborated on a pilot project to provide technology access and skills training at 16 regional centers in Afghanistan. The training centers, located in Kabul and surrounding areas, will help build a skilled pool of IT professionals in a country where Internet skills and services technology had once been suppressed. It is projected that the centers will provide training to nearly 12,000 Afghan citizens annually.

Microsoft has committed $1 billion in cash, software, curriculum and technology assistance over the next five years to the Unlimited Potential program and other efforts to help reduce the global digital divide. Since May 2003, the company has made grants of cash and software totaling nearly $50 million to more than 150 programs in 45 countries.

Wednesday night in Riyadh, 50 women became the first graduates of a Microsoft Unlimited Potential program to help Saudi women develop skills in computing, professional and administration services.

Dr. Khaled Al-Dhaher, GM, Microsoft Arabia, said that the training initiative reflected the company’s commitment to Microsoft Partners in Learning and Unlimited Potential initiatives in the region.

“Microsoft’s thrust toward investment in developing and training national human resources comes in support of the efforts by the Saudi Government to enable society to face future challenges and give effective roles to Saudi women in serving their families and society,” Al-Dhaher commented.

Microsoft Arabia is administering the Unlimited Potential project, which is being run through an agreement with the Wafaa Organization for Humanitarian Work under the patronage of Princess Lateefa bint Abdullah ibn Abdul Rahman, and local Microsoft certified training partner, Professional Service Center for Computer Training (ProServe).

The project aims to educate young women from limited-income families in IT and business skills, helping them to be better prepared to enter the employment market. The program includes educational courses for 200 Saudi women divided into three groups. The first group has just graduated. The second group is scheduled to graduate in April 2004 and the third in July 2004.

On the graduation of the first group of trainees, Hussa bint Khaled Al-Sudairy, president, ProServe, remarked, “We invite Saudi-based companies to provide these qualified trainees with employment opportunities that help them utilize their expertise in office work using the latest technology. The program covers all theoretical and practical aspects of different computing subjects, including an introduction to the PC, Windows XP, Microsoft Office, the Internet, and Arabic and English typing. These skills enable the graduates to work as receptionists, secretaries and in other professional services roles at banks, schools, hospitals and other private and public sector organizations.”

As part of their contribution to the welfare of Saudi women, ProServe generously donated the 34 PCs used in the Unlimited Potential program and their instructors work devotedly with the trainees. Reem Al-Haider, coordinator of the project, stated that the women have their lessons at the Wafa Organization’s facility in two groups — one in the morning from 9-12 daily and the other from 4-7 p.m. The trainees are between the ages of 16 and 35 years.

“The students must take the program seriously. This is difficult for some of them who have been out of school for a while and have no work experience. If they miss four days, they are removed from the course,” Al-Haider explained. “The program provides all needed support for the women to complete the course, including transportation. What we want from the trainees is for them to work hard.”

Sumayia Makki, GM, Wafaa Organization for Humanitarian Work, clarified that women included in the program were selected based upon the degree of need, with a concentration on those lacking experience in professional service and computer use.

“This project is an ideal model for supporting humanitarian initiatives, because it focuses on investment in human resources and helping people become productive society members. In addition, this can support needy families and help them explore new sources of income, and give women the chance to play a more active role in assisting their families. From this perspective, the program supports the government’s efforts to lower unemployment levels and diversify income sources. Wafaa Organization will help these women find jobs in different sectors through professional and on-going training programs,” Makki said.

As for the trainees, excitement was in the air the night of the graduation ceremony. The top four graduates from this group were: Jameela Ibrahim, Samar Al-Otaibi, Johara Ghanam and Haya Najar.

“There are 10 in my family,” said 21-year-old Jameela Ibrahim. “God willing, the skills I have learned will be useful and will help me to get a job. My family wants me to work. We find it very hard to make ends meet and if I could earn some money it would be good for us. I would work for any salary.”

“I am very happy to have had the chance to participate in this program and I am sad that it is over,” said 19-year-old Samar Al-Otaibi. “I had planned to go to university next semester, but I really would prefer to have a job instead. There are six in my family and my mother is alone. I have seen advertisements for jobs but they all want high qualifications, often when there is no need for such qualifications. Most of the jobs available for women require technical training, not university degrees. I hope employers will consider the real requirements of the job and hire some of us. Let’s face it, the life here is not like before. Girls need to wake up in the morning, go to work and earn a living — not just sit.”

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Next week Compunet and Local View are on hiatus for Eid Al-Adha. Consequently, we’ve been given absolutely no option but to allow Farah the kitten, the cutest of all laptop accessories, to engage in a bit of system integration. Check out the great photo of our CompuCat. Eid Mubarak!