As cybersecurity threats become harder to detect and prevent, Bhutan is focusing on a less visible but critical line of defence: people with the skills to secure the country’s digital infrastructure. More than 90 ICT professionals and network engineers from across the country are taking part in a five-day workshop in the capital, gaining practical skills to identify and respond to evolving cyber threats.
From phishing and malware to AI-powered attacks, the digital threats facing organisations are becoming more sophisticated.
The challenge is not just having the right technology. It is having people who know how to use it, secure it and respond when something goes wrong.
This is the focus of this year’s Bhutan Network Operators Group, or btNOG, workshop, where more than 90 ICT professionals and network engineers from the public and private sectors are receiving hands-on training in cybersecurity, network administration and infrastructure operations.
“Currently, the major threats are AI and large language models, which are really good at identifying vulnerabilities and automatically breaking into systems. This evolves all the time, and the best mitigation, rather than a solution, is defence in depth. The workshop we’re conducting this week focuses on these best practices. We look at how you can set up layers of defence between your infrastructures and protect individual assets,” said Philip Paeps, Trainer, Network Startup Resource Centre, United States.
Participants say the training is helping them strengthen technical skills.
“One of the main cybersecurity challenges, I feel, is phishing and weak password practices. After attending this workshop, I feel that I’m in a better position to advise and advocate to my colleagues. Not only that, but I also feel better prepared to deal with potential future threats,” said Komal Sundas, IT Systems and Services Engineer, Bhutan Telecom Limited.
“It will help me build practical skills in recognising real-world cyber threats, such as malware, phishing and scams. It will also enhance my cyber hygiene. Participating in this workshop will boost my confidence in navigating the digital world,” said Karma Jigme Wangchuk, Technician, Jigme Namgyel Engineering College, Samdrup Jongkhar.
The workshop also brings together professionals from different organisations, creating a network that can continue beyond the five-day training.
“After returning to their respective organisations, participants will be able to implement the best practices they have learned here in their network and ICT infrastructure. At the same time, they can reach out to one another to share experiences and seek support if they encounter challenges. This human networking aspect is very important, and that is what we are trying to build here at btNOG,” said Karma Jamyang, Chairperson, btNOG.
Now in its thirteenth year, btNOG is also working to develop local trainers. Six Bhutanese professionals who previously attended btNOG sessions are co-instructing this year’s workshop.
Organisers say building this pool of local expertise will help Bhutan respond more effectively as cyber threats continue to evolve.
The five-day workshop will be followed by the btNOG conference on Friday in Thimphu.
Kelzang Chhophyel
Edited by Sonam Pem
