EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This advanced training program equips professionals with the knowledge required to align digital government operations with Essential Cybersecurity Controls and broader National Cybersecurity Authority expectations in regulated public-sector environments. It focuses on strengthening governance, risk management, cybersecurity operations, compliance assurance, digital resilience, and secure service delivery across government entities. Participants will examine how compliance obligations influence leadership decisions, control implementation, third-party oversight, incident readiness, and data protection practices. The course translates regulatory expectations into practical operating models suitable for ministries, agencies, public institutions, and digital service platforms. It also explains how digital government transformation requires integrated cybersecurity governance rather than isolated technical controls. Through structured workshops and applied discussions, participants will connect policy requirements to operational accountability and measurable performance outcomes. The program emphasizes evidence-based compliance, internal coordination, and continuous improvement within evolving digital ecosystems. It is especially valuable for organizations seeking stronger assurance, audit readiness, and institutional resilience in public digital services. The learning journey combines strategy, implementation, monitoring, and improvement to support sustainable compliance maturity.
INTRODUCTION
Digital government environments require disciplined cybersecurity governance because public services, data assets, and interconnected platforms operate under heightened trust and accountability expectations. The Essential Cybersecurity Controls published by the National Cybersecurity Authority establish minimum cybersecurity requirements for national entities, while digital government regulation in the Kingdom applies across government entities and related participants in digital government work. Compliance in this context is not limited to security technology, but includes governance structures, risk ownership, policy enforcement, readiness planning, and assurance mechanisms. Organizations must therefore align strategic priorities with secure architecture, operational controls, and documented evidence of implementation. This course is designed to help decision-makers and practitioners convert compliance obligations into coordinated action across people, process, and technology domains. It clarifies how cybersecurity compliance supports service continuity, regulatory confidence, stakeholder trust, and better digital performance. The program also addresses the realities of public-sector transformation, including cloud adoption, supplier dependency, data sensitivity, and cross-functional accountability. By combining practical interpretation with implementation guidance, the course helps participants understand not only what is required but how to operationalize it effectively. The result is a structured capability-building experience tailored to the needs of modern digital government institutions.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Participants will achieve the following objectives by this course:
- Interpret the purpose and structure of ECC within digital government operating environments.
- Explain core NCA compliance expectations relevant to public-sector digital services.
- Strengthen cybersecurity governance models for digital government institutions.
- Identify compliance gaps across policies, processes, technologies, and organizational roles.
- Apply risk-based approaches to cybersecurity planning and control prioritization.
- Improve documentation, evidence collection, and audit readiness practices.
- Establish stronger oversight of third parties, vendors, and shared service dependencies.
- Enhance incident preparedness, response coordination, and recovery governance.
- Integrate compliance monitoring into continuous improvement and performance reporting.
- Support secure digital transformation aligned with public trust and regulatory resilience.
TARGET AUDIENCE
This program targets a professional audience seeking to improve knowledge and skills:
- Chief information officers and digital transformation leaders in government entities
- Cybersecurity managers responsible for regulatory alignment and institutional resilience
- Compliance officers supporting internal control frameworks and assurance activities
- Risk managers overseeing enterprise and operational cyber risk treatment
- Internal auditors evaluating cybersecurity governance and control effectiveness
- IT governance specialists managing policy implementation and accountability structures
- Information security architects supporting secure digital government platforms
- Program managers leading public digital services and modernization initiatives
- Vendor management professionals supervising outsourced technology services
- Senior decision-makers requiring stronger oversight of cyber compliance performance
COURSE OUTLINE
Day 1: Regulatory Foundations of Digital Government Cyber Compliance
- Understanding digital government cybersecurity obligations
- Overview of Essential Cybersecurity Controls structure
- Role of national cybersecurity governance
- Compliance scope for public-sector entities
- Mapping institutional responsibilities and accountability
- Regulatory terminology and control interpretation
- Digital service risk landscape in government
- Aligning policy, governance, and operations
Day 2: Governance, Risk Management, and Control Design
- Building effective cybersecurity governance models
- Defining roles, committees, and reporting lines
- Integrating cyber risk into enterprise governance
- Control selection based on risk priorities
- Policy architecture for digital government compliance
- Managing asset classification and ownership
- Oversight of identity and access governance
- Establishing compliance evidence mechanisms
Day 3: Operational Compliance and Secure Service Delivery
- Translating controls into operational procedures
- Securing infrastructure, endpoints, and platforms
- Strengthening monitoring and threat visibility
- Managing vulnerabilities and corrective actions
- Protecting sensitive government information assets
- Controlling remote access and privileged activities
- Embedding security into service lifecycle management
- Coordinating security across shared environments
Day 4: Third-Party Risk, Incident Readiness, and Assurance
- Managing supplier and outsourcing cybersecurity risks
- Setting contractual security expectations
- Evaluating third-party compliance capabilities
- Preparing incident response governance structures
- Escalation paths and crisis communication planning
- Business continuity and digital resilience alignment
- Internal assurance and control validation methods
- Supporting audit readiness through documentation
Day 5: Compliance Monitoring, Improvement, and Institutional Maturity
- Developing compliance dashboards and metrics
- Measuring control effectiveness over time
- Conducting gap assessments and remediation planning
- Prioritizing improvement initiatives strategically
- Linking compliance to leadership decisions
- Creating sustainable awareness and accountability
- Building a culture of secure digital government
- Designing roadmaps for long-term maturity
COURSE DURATION
This course is designed as a five-day professional program delivered in classroom, online, or blended format, with each day combining expert instruction, guided discussion, applied exercises, and practical compliance interpretation tailored to digital government environments.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
The training will be delivered by a team of experts in cybersecurity governance, digital government regulation, compliance assurance, and public-sector risk management, with extensive practical experience in implementing control frameworks, leading audits, supporting transformation initiatives, and strengthening institutional resilience across complex operational environments.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Is this course technical or managerial? It combines governance, compliance, and operational perspectives for both leadership and practitioners.
- Does the course focus only on cybersecurity teams? No, it is also relevant to compliance, audit, risk, governance, and digital transformation functions.
- Will participants learn practical implementation methods? Yes, the course connects control requirements to real operating models and evidence practices.
- Is prior knowledge of regulatory frameworks required? No, the course begins with foundations before moving into applied compliance topics.
- How does this program support digital government entities? It improves regulatory understanding, audit readiness, resilience planning, and cross-functional coordination.
CONCLUSION
ECC and NCA compliance for digital government requires more than formal control adoption; it requires disciplined governance, accountable execution, and measurable assurance. This course helps participants understand the regulatory logic behind cybersecurity obligations and translate them into effective organizational practice. It builds confidence in managing risk, documenting compliance, and strengthening secure digital service delivery. Participants leave with a clearer view of how to connect cybersecurity, governance, and institutional performance. The program ultimately supports stronger trust, resilience, and sustainable maturity in digital government operations.
