Morocco is reshaping its approach to cybersecurity, with a new leader now in charge of the General Directorate of Information Systems Security (DGSSI), part of the National Defense Administration. The DGSSI announced Monday that «His Majesty the King, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, has appointed Brigadier General Abdellah Boutrig as Director General of the DGSSI». Boutrig is an engineer trained at the National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (INSEA) and a graduate of the Royal Military Academy in Meknes (class of 1987). He also completed the Staff Course, the Advanced Defense Course, and holds a master's degree in security and defense from the Royal College of Higher Military Studies. Over his career, he has held several senior posts, including Director of Assistance, Training, Control, and Expertise at the DGSSI, before becoming Deputy Inspector of Communications for the Royal Armed Forces. The DGSSI said the appointment reflects Morocco's commitment to strengthening its cyber defenses and protecting national cyberspace, a key issue in the country's digital transition. The change comes after cyberattacks hit major state institutions, including breaches of data belonging to members of the National Social Security Fund (CNSS). The National Agency for Land Conservation, Cadastre, and Cartography (ANCFCC) was also targeted, with information on property owned by government ministers and security officials leaked on social media via a Telegram account called Jabaroot DZ. The DGSSI was created on September 21, 2011, by decree n°2.11.509.
