A draft law on cyber crimes currently under consideration will help boost Bahrain's cyber security, a legal expert has said.

Norton Rose Fulbright technology and intellectual property partner Dino Wilkinson said cybercrime laws exist to a varying degree in several GCC jurisdictions, according to a report in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

"In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry operates a cyber crime unit," he said.

Mr Wilkinson made the comments during a special presentation on cyber risk in Bahrain and the region for Bahrain British Business Forum's (BBBF) legal special interest group.

"The topic is particularly pertinent as more and more data is handled electronically, causing governments and businesses to become increasingly concerned about the threat of cyber risks," he said.

"The Middle East has recently seen many cyber attacks on major institutions and heightened levels of "cyber warfare" in Syria and Iran.

"Qatar also has a draft law under review in this area," he said. "The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman already have detailed cyber crimes legislation in place.”

"It is equally vital also for organisations to be aware of the legal and regulatory issues in this area, both from the perspective of potential sanctions and remedies against cyber attackers.

"It is a particularly hot topic today with the recent news of the US indictment of members of the Chinese military for cyber crimes and considerable publicity around the GameOver Zeus and Cryptolocker viruses."

Al Ruwayeh & Partners senior associate Steven Brown was the other speaker at the event.

He spoke about the legal and business implications of cyber attacks and considered some of the local, regional and international legislation in this area.

The BBBF's special interest group events include a wide range of sectors and fields, including security, construction, information and communications technology, legal, financial services, and organisational effectiveness. The event was sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank. – TradeArabia News Service