Amman, June 23 (Petra) – Jordan is pursuing a comprehensive national vision to protect its digital future by strengthening cybersecurity and enhancing the readiness of institutions to address evolving cyber threats, Director of the National Cybersecurity Centre (NCC) Mohammad Samadi said. Speaking at the Government Communication Forum on Tuesday, organised by the Ministry of Government Communication, Samadi said the NCC, established in 2021 under the Cybersecurity Law, is responsible for developing and regulating Jordan's national cybersecurity system.

He said the centres work focuses on legislation and regulation, capacity building and operational and intelligence functions. The NCC has launched several initiatives, including the "Safe Online" platform, the "Wa’i" awareness platform and the "Cyber Story" podcast, targeting students, government employees, critical infrastructure operators and the wider community.

Among its key programmes are the "Cyber Warriors" competition for school and university students, cybersecurity training for government liaison officers and awareness campaigns and workshops across sectors.

Samadi said Jordan's cybersecurity ecosystem is supported by a range of laws, regulations, policies and strategies, most notably the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2025–2028 and the Jordanian National Cybersecurity Framework.

During the first quarter of 2026, cyber incidents in Jordan declined by 16 per cent compared with the same period in 2025, while critical incidents accounted for just 0.5 per cent of the total.

The most common threats included ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, phishing, social engineering and the exploitation of security vulnerabilities.

He added that AI-powered cyberattacks rose globally by 89 per cent, while 75 per cent of breaches resulted from compromised credentials or digital identities.

Authorities detected 27 websites impersonating national institutions during the first quarter of the year.

Samadi said that artificial intelligence and quantum computing are reshaping the cybersecurity landscape, requiring enhanced national capabilities, training programmes and preparations for quantum-resistant encryption technologies.

He added that the NCC has developed a draft roadmap, in cooperation with national partners, to address future risks associated with quantum computing.

He added that cybersecurity incident response teams in critical sectors and the licensing framework for cybersecurity service providers are key pillars of Jordan's efforts to strengthen cyber resilience and confidence in the digital economy.

The Jordanian National Cybersecurity Framework was implemented in 2025 across 110 government institutions and critical infrastructure entities, with implementation set to expand to 50 additional national entities in 2026.

The rollout included training programmes, risk assessment exercises, awareness workshops and implementation roadmaps for participating institutions.

Samadi said that, in certain cases, access to some government websites from outside Jordan may be restricted as a precautionary measure to protect digital services.

He revealed that one of the most significant cyber incidents handled by the centre involved an attack that disrupted the systems of a healthcare institution.

For his part, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Government Communication Zaid Nawaisah said the NCC plays a vital role in protecting Jordanian cyberspace, developing national expertise and raising awareness of digital risks.

The forum reviewed the centre's efforts to safeguard cyberspace and the main pillars of the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2025–2028.

//Petra// AK