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mtcitarcirclogo2025

 

  • Program Overview
  • Benefits
  • Projects Challenges
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Template for Project Proposal
  • Location
  • العربية

Sultan Qaboos University in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, represented by Oman National CERT launched Hadatha for Cybersecurity industry development. The lab will host a hands-on initiative program, where SQU students work on real-world cybersecurity projects under expert mentorship.

Duration: 6 months

Eligibility: Open to all SQU undergraduate/graduates (one year) students in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology or other related fields.

  • Certificate of Completion
  • On Job Training in collaboration with OCERT, Oman
  • Top projects featured in the lab’s webpage
  • Networking with industry experts
  • Support for incubation to upgrade/start-ups

Students can choose from the following tracks or any other related innovative ideas:

A. Offensive Security

  • Penetration testing of web/mobile apps
  • Exploit development for known CVEs
  • Red teaming simulations

B. Defensive Security

  • SIEM/SOC automation with Splunk/ELK
  • Malware analysis & reverse engineering
  • Threat intelligence platform development

C. Emerging Tech Security

  • AI/ML for anomaly detection
  • Blockchain smart contract auditing
  • IoT device security testing
  • Cybersecurity AI agents
  • GenAI based automatic Cybersecurity incidence response

D. Phishing Target LLM for Security Training

  • Large Language Model (LLM) for vishing
  • Simulate realistic vishing attacks for training purposes
  • Proactive defense mechanisms in an increasingly voice driven digital world

Students are welcome to form their own groups. Each group should submit its own proposal, limited to a maximum of 4 pages. Please follow the attached template {Project Proposal}.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criteria Weight (%)
Innovation and originality 20%
Team skills for completion of project 20%
Implementation and prototype feasibility 30%
Market feasibility 10%
Presentations 20%

 

Deadlines

  • Proposal Submission deadline: 31/08/2025
  • First-Screening results: 25/09/2025
  • Presentations: 28/09/2025
  • Start of Program: 01/10/2025

How to Apply

Google Form should include the following details:

  • Students’ names / IDs / Departments / College / Emails / Contact numbers
  • Project Challenge: One selected from the provided list
  • Project Title
  • Project Abstract
  • Upload full proposal

You can download the proposal template from the link below:

Download Proposal Template (DOCX)

The lab is located in the Center for Preparatory Studies building, on the second floor.

Visitors should use the main entrance and follow the signage to reach the lab area.

أطلقت جامعة السلطان قابوس، بالتعاون مع وزارة النقل والاتصالات وتقنية المعلومات، ممثلةً  بالمركز الوطني للسلامة المعلوماتية (OCERT)، مبادرة "حداثة" لتطوير صناعة الأمن السيبراني. سيستضيف المختبر برنامجًا تطبيقيًا، يعمل من خلاله طلاب جامعة السلطان قابوس على مشاريع تطبيقية في مجال الأمن السيبراني تحت إشراف خبراء متخصصين.

المدة: 6 أشهر

شروط القبول: مفتوح لجميع طلبة جامعة السلطان قابوس (مرحلة البكالوريوس أو الخريجين لمدة سنة) في تخصصات علوم الحاسب الآلي، هندسة الحاسب الآلي، تقنية المعلومات أو المجالات ذات الصلة.

مزايا الانتهاء من البرنامج:

  • شهادة إتمام البرنامج
  • تدريب عملي بالتعاون مع المركز الوطني للسلامة المعلوماتية  (OCERT)
  • عرض أفضل المشاريع على صفحة المختبر الإلكترونية
  • فرصة للتواصل مع خبراء قطاع الأمن السيبراني
  • دعم للاحتضان بهدف تطوير المشاريع أو بدء شركات ناشئة
Cybersecurity hands-on Workshop
25 Apr

Cybersecurity hands-on Workshop

This workshop provides an introduction to cybersecurity, its importance, key concepts, and an overview of penetration testing.
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This workshop introduces participants to the fundamentals of cybersecurity, highlighting its importance in protecting systems, networks, and sensitive data from digital threats.
It covers essential concepts such as common attacks, vulnerabilities, and risk management practices.
Participants are introduced to penetration testing as a method to simulate real-world attacks and identify security weaknesses ethically.
The practical section includes setting up a lab using Kali Linux, conducting network scans with Nmap, analyzing traffic with Wireshark, and exploiting vulnerabilities using Metasploit.
The workshop was conducted by Ahmed Al Farsi and held at the Hadatha Cybersecurity Lab.

Cybersecurity in Operational Technology Workshop
14 May

Cybersecurity in Operational Technology Workshop

The workshop highlights the growing cybersecurity risks in Operational Technology (OT) systems and recommends best practices and hands-on tools to protect critical infrastructure from evolving cyber threats.
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The workshop emphasizes the critical need for cybersecurity in Operational Technology (OT) systems, such as PLCs, ICS, and SCADA, which support essential infrastructure like power and water. As OT becomes more connected to IT networks, it faces increased cyber threats, including malware (e.g., Stuxnet), ransomware (e.g., Colonial Pipeline), insider attacks, and supply chain vulnerabilities. To mitigate these risks, the presentation recommends best practices like network segmentation, access control, patch management, and incident response planning, while also highlighting hands-on training tools such as Factory I/O, OpenPLC, ICSRange, and TryHackMe for building practical OT security skills.

 Opening of the Hadatha Centre for Cybersecurity
1 Jul

Opening of the Hadatha Centre for Cybersecurity

In a strategic partnership between Sultan Qaboos University and the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, represented by the Oman National CERT, the Hadatha Centre for Cybersecurity Industry was officially inaugurated under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Amer Al-Shidhani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology.
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In a strategic partnership between Sultan Qaboos University and the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, represented by the Oman National CERT, the Hadatha Centre for Cybersecurity Industry was officially inaugurated under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Amer Al-Shidhani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology. The ceremony was attended by His Highness Sayyid Dr. Fahd bin Al Julanda Al Said, the Vice-Chancellor, along with a number of officials from relevant institutions. The event took place at the Conference Hall.

This initiative aims to build a qualified national workforce capable of developing innovative technological solutions to protect data and national assets. It also seeks to train university students, graduates, researchers, and entrepreneurs in the field of cybersecurity, while enhancing the University’s role in establishing effective partnerships with both the public and private sectors through scientific research, development, and the provision of research consultancy in cybersecurity technologies. Furthermore, the initiative aims to stimulate promising investments in the field and localise technologies to keep pace with the latest global developments.

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During the inauguration ceremony, Dr. Mohammed bin Mana Bait Suwailam, Director of the Communication and Information Research Centre, highlighted that cybersecurity is a shared national responsibility in the digital age, starting with the individual and extending to leadership. He emphasised the need for vigilance to counter the growing threats resulting from rapid technological advances, stressing that building a cybersecurity industry has become essential to safeguard data and assets at both individual and institutional levels. Dr. Bait Suwailim pointed out that the establishment of the Hadatha Centre for Cybersecurity at SQU represents a practical step towards developing national capabilities and contributing to digital transformation. He noted that the Centre is distinguished by its innovative research identity and modern facilities, which enable students and researchers to conduct advanced studies and practical experiments in areas such as malware analysis, penetration testing, network monitoring, and the development of artificial intelligence solutions. He also explained that the Centre aims to prepare students for the job market and support entrepreneurship by incubating applied research projects supervised by local and international experts, thereby contributing to digital transformation and driving sustainable development in the Sultanate of Oman.

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Meanwhile, Eng. Badr bin Ali Al-Salhi, Director General of the Oman National CERT at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, affirmed that the Centre provides an intellectual and scientific space that nurtures creativity and accelerates pioneering ideas in the field of cybersecurity. In an era of accelerating digital threats and evolving cyber challenges, local innovations in this field have become a necessity. The Centre represents one of the ambitious national initiatives embodying Oman’s vision for a secure and prosperous digital economy based on innovation, excellence, and the development of national capabilities.

He added that this opening comes at a time when global reports indicate rising losses from cybercrime, which could exceed 10 trillion US dollars annually by 2030, while the average cost of a single breach in the Middle East is estimated at around 6.2 million US dollars. Eng Al-Salhi also noted that international market forecasts suggest the global cybersecurity market will exceed 500 billion US dollars by 2030, compared to around 246 billion US dollars in 2024, underscoring the need to accelerate local cybersecurity innovation to meet these escalating challenges.

Additionally, Al-Salhi stressed the importance of establishing specialised national centres such as Hadatha, for their role in stimulating technological solution innovation, transferring research to the marketplace, and enhancing national competitiveness in the cybersecurity sector. He explained that the Centre helps build cooperation between government bodies, universities, and the private sector, and supports the implementation of the national innovation framework developed by the Oman National CERT to achieve integration in this field.

He emphasised that the Hadatha Centre represents a practical step towards transforming local innovation into added economic and security value, highlighting that the success of the Centre depends on strong partnerships, continued investment in cybersecurity solutions, and linking research to market needs. He called for a focus on measuring impact and broadening participation to build a sustainable national cybersecurity ecosystem.

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Rahma bint Nasser Al-Barashdi, Director of Cybersecurity Programmes at the Oman National CERT, delivered a presentation highlighting the role of the Hadatha Centre in establishing a dedicated cybersecurity industry that enhances and diversifies economic growth by focusing on human capital, and leveraging innovation and excellence. This initiative aligns with the cybersecurity industry programme, promotes a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in this field, and builds seamless links between government entities, the private sector, and academic institutions. It also aims to localise technologies in line with recent developments and to encourage research, innovation, and development.

Important Links