Saudi cybersecurity company CQR has signed a Master Services Agreement with sirar by stc to collaborate on protecting operational technology, IoT and Industrial IoT environments, with plans that could include a sovereign AI-enabled monitoring centre and a dedicated security assessment laboratory for industrial devices.
The agreement combines CQR’s Saudi-developed industrial cybersecurity technology and OT expertise with sirar by stc’s managed cybersecurity capabilities.
The companies aim to develop an integrated model for protecting critical infrastructure and operational environments as industrial systems become increasingly connected and exposed to cyber risks.
FENNEC platform forms core of collaboration
At the centre of the partnership is FENNEC, CQR’s cybersecurity platform developed in Saudi Arabia specifically for critical infrastructure and complex industrial environments.
The platform provides visibility into critical assets alongside process-aware security monitoring, continuous compliance and dynamic risk intelligence.
Rather than evaluating cyber alerts purely from an IT security perspective, FENNEC is designed to connect security events with the operational context of individual assets and industrial processes.
Assets can be classified according to their criticality, operational function and potential impact on safety, production and business continuity.
This allows security teams to prioritise threats according to their potential operational consequences.
AI supports security analysts while retaining human oversight
Artificial intelligence is incorporated into FENNEC to help cybersecurity specialists interpret alerts, prioritise risks and guide investigations.
CQR said the technology can also help analysts assess the potential operational impact of security events.
However, decisions that could affect production remain subject to expert human oversight.
This approach is particularly relevant in OT environments, where automated security responses that may be appropriate for conventional IT infrastructure could potentially interrupt industrial processes or affect physical operations.
Companies plan sovereign cybersecurity monitoring centre
CQR and sirar by stc also intend to work toward establishing a sovereign, AI-enabled OT and IoT Cybersecurity Monitoring and Assurance Center.
The proposed facility would combine CQR’s industrial cybersecurity technology and expertise with sirar by stc’s managed security capabilities.
Its objective would be to strengthen domestic capacity for monitoring and protecting operational environments and critical infrastructure across Saudi Arabia.
The agreement establishes a framework for this cooperation, with specific elements of the collaboration to be agreed separately.
Services could span full OT cybersecurity lifecycle
The potential scope extends beyond security monitoring.
CQR and sirar by stc could collaborate on OT and IoT cybersecurity maturity assessments, regulatory gap analysis, identification of critical assets and secure architecture design.
Other potential services include FENNEC deployment and technology integration, managed security monitoring, threat hunting, incident response, continuous compliance, risk assessments, training and knowledge transfer.
If implemented at scale, the model would give customers access to capabilities spanning assessment and architecture through to continuous monitoring and incident response.
FENNEC targets emerging 450 MHz industrial networks
CQR said FENNEC is also compatible with Saudi Arabia’s move toward dedicated 450 MHz industrial communications networks.
The platform is designed to discover, monitor and secure OT, IoT and IIoT assets operating across these networks, including associated industrial smart radio devices.
Dedicated industrial communications networks can support increasingly connected operations, but they also expand the number of assets and communications pathways that security teams need to monitor.
Integrating visibility of these devices into an OT-focused cybersecurity platform could therefore become increasingly important as industrial connectivity expands.
Dedicated hardware and firmware security lab planned
Another proposed component of the collaboration is an OT and IoT Hardware, Firmware and Connected-Device Security Assessment Lab.
The facility would provide a controlled environment for assessing industrial equipment, embedded systems and connected devices.
Findings from those assessments could subsequently feed into FENNEC’s monitoring, compliance and risk-management capabilities.
The approach could help identify vulnerabilities at the device and firmware level before equipment is deployed into sensitive operational environments.
Partnership supports cybersecurity localisation
CQR CEO Naser Al-Dossary said developing cybersecurity technology domestically is important to strengthening Saudi Arabia’s sovereign capabilities.
“Cyber sovereignty begins with owning the technology, knowledge and capabilities required to protect our most critical environments,” Al-Dossary said.
Sirar by stc CEO Yaser Al-Swailem said combining the companies’ respective capabilities could provide organisations with a scalable model for securing critical OT and IoT environments.
The agreement also aligns with wider Saudi efforts to localise technology capabilities and develop domestic expertise around critical digital infrastructure.
Why this matters
OT cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important as energy, utilities, manufacturing and other industrial sectors connect physical assets to digital networks and introduce more automation.
The consequences of a cyber incident in these environments can extend beyond data theft. Compromised industrial systems can potentially disrupt production, damage equipment, affect safety or interrupt essential services.
The CQR and sirar by stc agreement is therefore notable for combining locally developed OT security technology with managed cybersecurity services, while also targeting hardware, firmware and emerging industrial communications networks.
Editor’s note
The strongest strategic element of this agreement is its focus on building an end-to-end sovereign OT cybersecurity capability rather than simply deploying another security product.
FENNEC, the proposed monitoring and assurance centre, the planned device security laboratory and the emphasis on knowledge transfer could together create a more integrated domestic capability spanning technology, operations and specialist expertise.
However, several elements remain proposed or subject to separate agreement. The key indicators will be whether the monitoring centre and assessment lab become operational, how widely FENNEC is deployed across critical infrastructure, and whether the collaboration can demonstrate measurable improvements in industrial cyber resilience without disrupting the operational environments it is designed to protect.
