The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) has assured that its technical systems and the government systems it hosts remain unaffected by the global technical outage that has impacted various entities worldwide. SDAIA’s official spokesperson, Majid Al-Shehri, mentioned that their national technical teams have been monitoring the operation of their internal systems from the onset of the technical outage. Thanks to the efforts of highly qualified national personnel in computer technology and programming, the systems are built to the highest technical standards, ensuring seamless transitions in case of any technical failures. Al-Shehri highlighted the risks associated with cyberspace but emphasized that SDAIA has incorporated the latest computing technologies related to data and artificial intelligence for government entities to enhance security and cooperation globally.
Moreover, several airports in Saudi Arabia, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, revealed that the global system outage has impacted some carriers at these airports. Contingency plans have been activated to use alternative systems in collaboration with the airlines, and efforts are ongoing to resolve the issue. Travelers are advised to contact their airlines before heading to the airports to check the status of their flights and stay updated on any schedule changes. Flynas, a Saudi airline, experienced delays for some flights and website slowdown due to the global glitch, while Saudia Airlines reported that its operations were unaffected by the outage and all flights were operating as scheduled.
The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has affirmed the safety and integrity of its systems, national payment systems, and banking systems in the Kingdom, stating that they were not affected by the global technical outage. SAMA applies globally recognized operational and cyber standards and practices to its systems and national payment systems, regularly updating precautionary measures to enhance efficiency and safety. The Ministry of Health also confirmed the safety and integrity of the health information systems across health facilities in Saudi Arabia, stating that they continue to operate efficiently despite the global technical outage. The ministry ensures the safety of the health information infrastructure through the implementation of the best systems and cybersecurity technologies.
Furthermore, the Insurance Authority assured the safety of its systems and the systems of the Saudi insurance sector from any technical malfunction, attributing this resilience to the Kingdom’s robust digital infrastructure and strong protection systems. The Saudi insurance sector adheres to the highest technical and operational standards according to best practices locally and internationally, with strong technical systems linked with other entities. The authority emphasized the importance of maintaining the efficiency of business continuity plans and the performance of banking and national payment systems to enhance safety and adequacy in providing services efficiently. Overall, despite the global technical outage impacting various entities worldwide, Saudi Arabia has taken necessary measures to ensure the continuity and safety of its technical systems and government services for citizens and residents.
