Khoula Al Harthy
Head of Computer Science and Creative Technologies
Global College of Engineering and Technology
Dr. Khoula Al Harthy is a distinguished Omani academic and researcher specializing incybersecurity, blockchain, and information systems. She currently serves as the Headof the Department of Computer Science and Creative Technologies at the GlobalCollege of Engineering and Technology (GCET) in Muscat, Oman. Dr. Al Harthy earnedher PhD in Information Security from Coventry University, UK.Dr. Khoula Al Harthy had been selected as top 25 women in Blockchain and Fintech byDXTalk 2023, Top 20 Women in cybersecurity Worldwide 2025, honored by digitalbdges by MTCiT in Oman, and finally honored by Alsiyda Hahad bint Abdullah a wife ofhis majesty as among 20 Women in Oman in Omani Women day 2025.Her research interests encompass a broad spectrum of topics, including cybersecurity,blockchain technology, IT/IS auditing, and educational management. She hascontributed to projects focusing on smartphone security and has co-authored a bookchapter addressing the technical and non-technical risks associated with decentralizedfinance (DeFi) platforms.Beyond her academic roles, Dr. Al Harthy is actively involved in professionalorganizations. She chairs the IEEE Oman Blockchain Group and serves as thePresident of IPv6 Oman, demonstrating her leadership in advancing technologicalinitiatives within the region.Dr. Al Harthy is also recognized for her contributions to education and publicengagement. She has been acknowledged as a top educational leadership voice onLinkedIn. She frequently participates in conferences and symposiums, sharing herinsights on the integration of emerging technologies in education and industry.Her commitment to fostering innovation and empowering local expertise in cutting-edgetechnologies underscores her role as a prominent figure in Oman's technological andeducational landscape.
Speaker sessions
Briefings and Arsenals | Confirmed Speakers | No Session Assigned
Placeholder session for confirmed speakers without an assigned session, allowing them to be pushed to Swapcard and Visit.
- 07:30
- Tue
- 01 Dec
Stage:
Briefing Stage 2
Sessions Type:
Keynote
PQCAF: A Post-Quantum Cryptography Adoption Framework for Compliance-Oriented Deployment and Audit
Quantum computing appears to resolve the complex process in very fast and efficient manners, which lead high adoption in different sectors worldwide. Therefore, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) finalized three post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standards in 2024: ML-KEM (FIPS 203), ML-DSA (FIPS 204), and SLH-DSA (FIPS 205). These standards provide the algorithmic foundation for quantum-resistant systems. Existing policy documents provide strategic intent without verifiable audit criteria; benchmarking studies characterize performance without connecting findings to compliance requirements. This session introduces the Post-Quantum Cryptography Adoption Framework (PQCAF). PQCAF is built on a systematic gap analysis of four international frameworks�NIST FIPS 203�205, ISO/IEC 14888-3:2023, ENISA PQC Roadmap 2025, and NSA�CISA�NIST joint guidance�revealing that no single framework provides complete coverage across five proposed readiness dimensions, and that two dimensions (resource sensitivity and cross-jurisdictional policy convergence) receive no measurable treatment from any current standard. The proposed framework, can be used at the pre-assessment stage or post-implementation stage to ensure the compliance with the international governance and standards. The selected indicators in this research from different standards are mapped with audit requirements and provided and governance roadmap.
- 16:10
- Wed
- 02 Dec
Stage:
Briefing Stage 2
Sessions Type:
Keynote