The Interior Ministry's National Information Center (NIC) has introduced a new digital strategy for 2017-2019 to enhance its role in ensuring national security and attaining the highest degree of information confidentiality, secrecy and privacy, besides the safety of electronic assets. It also seeks to strengthen the NIC's role in the Kingdom's digitization process. The NIC includes the Electronic Security Operations Center, a huge NIC facility equipped with state-of-the-art technology to repel any cyber attacks that could interrupt services and lead to the loss of information. The center plays an effective role in protecting the NIC network against intrusions and unauthorized access attempts. A delegation of journalists from Al-Riyadh Arabic newspaper, sister publication of Riyadh Daily, visited the NIC center to get acquainted with its mechanisms of preventing cyber attacks and unauthorized communications. The delegation learnt of the NIC's advanced capabilities in dealing with electronic security cases and its high standards in surveillance over incoming and outgoing electronic activities. The delegation visited the Datacenters, the Electronic Security Operations Center, the Interior Ministry's e-service standing exhibition including Absher e-services, Digital National Identity Services, Geographic Information Systems, Biometric System (Vital Features System), Information Security, and NIC Platform. NIC officials and operators gave a detailed description of the services delivered by the center's various departments and the sophisticated technology made available to the nation and nationals. The briefing covered the services delivered by the NIC to attain the highest standards, using the most advanced international technologies to enable users and partners to develop smart and secure digital products, services and solutions. These efforts were making a significant contribution towards achieving the Kingdom's transformation program. The journalists listened to an explanation on the NIC's strategic objectives in the field of risk management, enhancement of national security and upgrading of electronic coordination among the various Interior Ministry sectors and regional governorates. The explanation also highlighted the services offered by the NIC kingdom-wide in addition to the smart services rendered to the government and private sectors, and individuals. The officials also outlined details of the conversion of the Interior Ministry's self-services into a separate mechanism, independent of the channels used for service delivery. Moreover, they highlighted the improvements made to e-services of governmental agencies and the effective services in the field of business intelligence and performance management. The delegation was also briefed on the NIC technologies and capabilities emphasized by its new strategy. Such technologies and capabilities helped the NIC assume a leadership role in the field of digital national platforms, equipped with the newest technologies as well as smart and secure services. The NIC is also apt to achieving excellence in operations with the highest level of information security, corporate governance and sustainability. Furthermore, the NIC endeavors to contribute towards achieving the objectives of the National Transformation Program. It also endeavors to provide distinguished digital products and improve human capabilities within the framework of a competitive business environment. Statistics pertaining to Absher portal reflect the great efforts exerted by Interior Ministry in the service of citizens and expatriates every day. As many as 17 million applications for Civil Affairs appointments were made via the portal. There were more than 1,699,000 applications for passport service appointments. Other statistics obtained were: 7,933,000 users registered to log in; 1,218,000 Saudi passport renewal requests; 2,108,000 identity cards issued; 2,000,000 travel permits issued; and 282,900,393 users logged in. These figures do not include those continuously released by the Absher portal for its users.
