Cybersecurity: Morocco structures its strategic response under the palace's guidance

On September 1st, King Mohammed VI appointed Brigadier General Abdellah Boutrig to lead the General Directorate of Information System Security (DGSSI), operating under the National Defense Administration. Six months into his tenure, the framework designed to bolster the kingdom's defense against cyberattacks is beginning to take shape. «A key figure from the Palace and his close associate are spearheading this initiative», reported Africa Intelligence on Monday, March 2nd.

The report highlights Mounir El Majidi, the sovereign's private secretary, alongside his brother and associate, Mehdi El Majidi, as well as Hassan Mansouri, a former senior executive at the Siger holding company. Mansouri has pivoted to cybersecurity with his 2018-founded company, Cyberforce.

Furthermore, Israeli and Indian collaborations are deemed vital to the Moroccan strategy. Notably, Rabat and Tel Aviv signed a cybersecurity agreement in July 2021, preceding the military and security partnership agreement inked on November 24, 2021.

With India, cooperation in this sensitive field is more recent. Last September, during the visit of Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh to the kingdom, Rabat and New Delhi signed a memorandum of understanding focusing on cybersecurity, cyber defense, and the defense industry.

This strategic enhancement comes amid a backdrop of significant cyberattacks. Morocco has recently faced operations targeting data from the National Social Security Fund (CNSS). The application linking Notaries with the National Agency for Land Conservation, Cadastre, and Cartography (ANCFCC) was also compromised, with sensitive land asset information linked to ministers and security officials being leaked on social media through a Telegram account named «Jabaroot DZ».