Energy installations in Sonatrach are protected from cyber attacks – El Hewar Algeria

The Director of Internal Security at the National Hydrocarbons Company (Sonatrach), Mounir Belhoucine, said today, Tuesday, that the Sonatrach complex has adopted the use of prevention and combating cyber-attacks targeting strategic data, and it has the technological capabilities that allow it to confront this type of attack.
Mounir Belhcine explained, during his intervention on the national radio, that the National Hydrocarbon Company has taken procedures and measures to sensitize users in order to prevent this type of threat, adding that there is technological vigilance and development of expertise at the company level.
And he continued saying that “the threat has known today a development at the technological level, as petroleum companies face a new threat represented in the cyber threat, which can target management and exploitation systems and data banks related to the status of reserves, facilities and the path of production,” explaining that the issue of threats Cyber ​​security is sponsored by a specialized directorate at the Sonatrach level.
As Mr. Belhoucine indicated, the oil complex has Algerian competencies in the field of cybersecurity and technological security for facilities, and the policy of ensuring the permanence of these expertise.
The same official added that Sonatrach, thanks to advanced technological means, was able to confront this type of attack “with all merit.”

“The People’s National Army formed more than 10,000 agents.”

As for the internal security of the sites and energy installations of the national company and its partners, the same intervener confirmed the guarantee of a paramilitary formation, since 2013 to the present day, for 10,000 aides in the training centers of the People’s National Army, in addition to a training program for 8,000 other aides.
In parallel – the same official adds – the trained agents are conducting simulation exercises at the site level under the supervision of security services officers in order to draw lessons and improve capabilities related to interaction.
He also touched on “a wide modernization program for surveillance systems, countering intrusion and access control to sensitive sites,” noting that Sonatrach, within a framework agreement with a specialized institution affiliated with the People’s National Army, has developed a new system for surveillance at the level of a large number of sites, with advanced cameras installed. It is highly effective, as well as more physical drawbacks.
And the same official added, “We have also intensified the means of air surveillance of our facilities and pipelines,” announcing in the same regard that “hundreds of internal security agents will be employed during the year 2023,” in order to rejuvenate the users of this device.
As for financing, the intervention explained that Sonatrach has allocated a budget estimated at 58 billion DZD, equivalent to 400 million dollars, allocated to cover the costs of internal security.
Mr. Belhousine finally concluded that this budget covers the costs of equipment, training, maintenance of protection devices and wages, as well as investments aimed at modernizing the possibilities of securing exploration and production sites, while a special budget has been allocated for the aspect related to the prevention of cyber threats.