The study found that one in three successful cyberattacks were attributed to Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups, which predominantly target government institutions and critical infrastructure. While the rapid adoption of new IT solutions is driving efficiency, it simultaneously expands the attack surface for malicious actors.

Cybercriminals in the region heavily utilize social engineering tactics (61% of cases) and malware (51%), often employing a combination of both. Remote Access Trojans (RATs) emerged as a primary weapon in 27% of malware-based attacks, indicating a common objective of gaining long-term access to compromised systems.

The analysis revealed that credentials and trade secrets (29% each) were the most sought-after data, followed by personal information (20%). This stolen data is frequently leveraged for blackmail or sold on the dark web. Beyond data theft, 38% of attacks resulted in the disruption of core business operations, posing significant risks to critical sectors like healthcare, transportation, and government services.

APT groups are identified as the most formidable threat actors due to their substantial resources and advanced technical capabilities. In 2024, they accounted for 32% of recorded attacks, with a clear focus on government and critical infrastructure. Their activities often extend beyond traditional cybercrime, encompassing cyberespionage and even cyberwarfare aimed at undermining trust and demonstrating digital dominance.

Dark web analysis further revealed that government organizations were the most frequently mentioned targets (34%), followed by the industrial sector (20%). Hacktivist activity was also prominent, with ideologically motivated actors often sharing stolen databases freely, exacerbating the cybercrime landscape.

The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Qatar, all leaders in digital transformation, were the most frequently cited countries on the dark web in connection with stolen data. Experts suggest that the prevalence of advertisements for selling data from these nations underscores the challenges of securing rapidly expanding digital environments, which cybercriminals are quick to exploit.

Positive Technologies analyst Alexey Lukash said, “In the near future, we expect cyberthreats in the Middle East to grow both in scale and sophistication. As digital transformation efforts expand, so does the attack surface, creating more opportunities for hackers of all skill levels. Governments in the region need to focus on protecting critical infrastructure, financial institutions, and government systems. The consequences of successful attacks in these areas could have far-reaching implications for national security and sovereignty.”

To help organizations build stronger defenses against cyberthreats, Positive Technologies recommends implementing modern security measures. These include vulnerability management systems to automate asset management, as well as identify, prioritize, and remediate vulnerabilities. Positive Technologies also suggests using network traffic analysis tools to monitor network activity and detect cyberattacks. Another critical layer of protection involves securing applications. Such solutions are designed to identify vulnerabilities in applications, detect suspicious activity, and take immediate action to prevent attacks.

Positive Technologies emphasizes the need for a comprehensive, result-driven approach to cybersecurity. This strategy is designed to prevent attackers from disrupting critical business processes. Scalable and flexible, it can be tailored to individual organizations, entire industries, or even large-scale digital ecosystems like nations or international alliances. The goal is to deliver clear, measurable results in cybersecurity—not just to meet compliance standards or rely on isolated technical fixes.

Built on the Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Management Platform, the ROC framework consolidates risk signals across an organization’s digital footprint into a single pane of glass. It enables Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM), cyber risk quantification, and risk remediation, empowering CISOs to translate cyber risk into business terms, ensure audit readiness, and build long-term resilience.

The mROC Partner Alliance equips partners to drive growth by delivering enhanced Qualys-powered ROC services that transform how enterprises measure, manage, and reduce cyber risk. The expanded roster of partners brings world-class expertise to help organizations overcome common cybersecurity challenges such as fragmented tools, disjointed risk response, and limited visibility—enabling a proactive approach to managing cyber risk at scale.

“When we introduced the concept of the Risk Operations Center, we knew it had the potential to redefine how organizations manage cyber risk,” said Sumedh Thakar, president and CEO of Qualys. “Today, with the launch of our inaugural global mROC partners, we’re delivering on that vision. This is a major milestone in building a thriving ROC ecosystem—one that helps businesses around the world take control of cyber risk with clarity, speed, and measurable impact.”

mROC Partners, through a comprehensive suite of risk service offerings, play a critical role in Qualys’ mission to make cyber risk management easier to adopt, more practical to implement, and more impactful for organizations globally. This innovative group of mROC partners has been thoroughly trained and enabled to operate a ROC powered by Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Management (ETM), delivering comprehensive managed risk services. By aggregating and analyzing risk signals from both Qualys and third-party tools, they offer their clients a holistic, business-aligned view of their risk exposure.

“The Teksalah and Qualys partnership is built on a shared vision — to embed a holistic risk-based, proactive approach at the core of enterprise cybersecurity. Through our powerful platforms, intelligent tools, and proven services—covering real-time risk monitoring to effective remediation—we are enabling organizations to manage risk with precision and drive secure innovation. Together, we are transforming our client’s cybersecurity from a control function into a catalyst for business growth and resilience,” commented Murali Konasani, CEO, Teksalah.

“Wade Gomes’ appointment marks an important milestone for CyberKnight in Southern Africa. His deep industry knowledge, decades of experience and leadership will be instrumental as we expand our presence and work closely with our partners and customers,” said Yaadhna Singh Gounden, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa. “Our goal is to enable organisations to navigate the complexities of today’s cybersecurity landscape with confidence, leveraging best-in-class solutions and proven frameworks.”

South Africa’s ongoing digital transformation, coupled with the rising sophistication of cyber threats, has driven a greater emphasis on implementing strong security solutions and adhering to regulatory compliance. The region’s cybersecurity market is characterised by a significant demand for advanced technologies, particularly in areas like cloud security, AI-powered threat detection, and managed security services. As businesses embrace digitalisation, they encounter new vulnerabilities, necessitating scalable and innovative solutions to safeguard sensitive data and ensure uninterrupted operations. The collaborative efforts between government, businesses, and technology providers to bridge skills gaps and strengthen defenses highlight the significant growth potential in the region.

“I’m excited to be part of CyberKnight’s journey in Southern Africa. The region is at a critical point in its cybersecurity evolution, and there’s a real opportunity to make a lasting impact, by combining local expertise with global experience. I’m honored and excited to lead this mission locally, with a goal to transform South Africa into one of CyberKnight’s hubs and a center of excellence, by helping customers stay ahead of threats while maximising the value of their cybersecurity investments,” added Wade Gomes, Country Manager at CyberKnight.

CyberKnight’s establishment in South Africa signifies its complete coverage across the African continent. The company brings its Zero Trust Security philosophy and a portfolio of leading global cybersecurity vendors to assist enterprise and government organisations throughout Africa in managing risk and enhancing resilience as they navigate evolving regulations and threats.

The company also highlighted the limitations of traditional PAM models relying on static policies and manual processes, often lacking crucial context and leading to excessive permissions and security vulnerabilities. Their 2024 Identity Security Insights report indicated that 68% of respondents are seeking AI-driven improvements in risk-based access control.

“Today’s hybrid, multi-cloud environments have led to an explosion of human and non-human identities, creating complex access workflows and rampant privilege sprawl. To tackle this, organizations require dynamic policies that can intelligently enforce the principle of least privilege across their identity stack. With the AI-driven CIEM module in PAM360, IT security teams can now generate intelligent least privilege policies, proactively flag risky entitlements and automate remediation, helping enterprises close critical identity security gaps before they’re exploited,” said Ramanathan Kannabiran, director of product management at ManageEngine.

Addressing this need, PAM360’s Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) module now incorporates AI-generated least privilege policies, automated remediation of shadow admin risks, and real-time access and session summaries. These AI-powered capabilities enable organizations to proactively combat access sprawl and misconfigurations in hybrid environments with minimal manual intervention.

ManageEngine also addressed the inefficiencies and potential security gaps associated with business workflows using RPA and script-based automation that often rely on manual access provisioning. Modern IT teams require dynamic controls to streamline on-demand access within these automated workflows and bolster overall security.

According to Kannabiran, “Privileged task automation in PAM360 eliminates the need for administrators to manually grant and revoke necessary access privileges for every automated routine. Access is provisioned just in time, based on the task context, and revoked automatically once the task ends. This not only preserves admin bandwidth, but also reduces the risk of privilege misuse caused by excessive or standing access.”

Leveraging Zoho’s Qntrl, PAM360 now offers native automation capabilities, eliminating the need for third-party tools. This deep integration within the Zoho ecosystem allows for seamless orchestration of privileged access workflows, enhancing efficiency without compromising security. PAM360 streamlines vendor access with automated onboarding and offboarding, provisions temporary, just-in-time access with granular, time-bound controls, and ensures secure, hands-free transfer of privileged data – delivering speed, consistency, and reduced risk across the organization.

Nicholas Matta brings extensive experience in Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) across the Middle East. His background encompasses both project delivery and commercial leadership, providing a comprehensive understanding of how organizations approach risk, compliance, and transformation. Previously holding a leadership position at Enablon, Matta is recognized for his ability to cultivate strong, culturally aligned relationships throughout the region. In his new role at EcoOnline, he will lead partner engagement, customer adoption, and go-to-market strategies in the Middle East, while also overseeing business development in the Benelux region.

Nicholas commented, “I am proud to be part of EcoOnline’s journey in the fast-growing Middle East region. There is a clear opportunity to close market gaps in areas like lone worker protection and chemical safety — challenges that are too often overlooked despite their risk. EcoOnline is uniquely positioned to address these needs with intuitive, people-centered solutions that deliver lasting impact at every level of an organisation.”

The Middle East is currently undergoing rapid industrial and economic transformation, driven by national initiatives such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the upcoming World Expo 2035, and ambitious mega-projects like The Line within the $500 billion NEOM development. Since the launch of Vision 2030 in 2016, Saudi Arabia has witnessed a 60% increase in industrial facilities, with the IMF projecting a cumulative economic growth of 6.7% over the next two years. As infrastructure and energy projects accelerate and local workforces expand under nationalization programs like Saudization, the demand for safe, sustainable, and compliant operations is escalating. Key sectors including construction, manufacturing, and energy are facing increasing pressure to meet international standards in both sustainability reporting and frontline risk management.

“The Middle East is at a critical inflection point, with ambitious national agendas driving industrial growth and employment,” said Gareth Palmer, SVP Channel & Alliances. “We see a clear opportunity — and responsibility — to help companies build a safer, more sustainable world of work. By combining local expertise with a global partner ecosystem, we can support organisations navigating this transformation — not just with technology, but with long-term, trust-based collaboration.”

EcoOnline has already established a presence in the Middle East through collaborations with global partners such as DSS+, VPWhite, and WSP. This formal expansion builds upon EcoOnline’s robust foundation in Europe, North America, ANZ (Australia and New Zealand), and South Africa. It reflects the company’s ongoing dedication to providing high-impact industries with user-friendly tools that simplify complexity and enhance safety culture, regulatory compliance, and environmental performance.

A leading insight featured in the report is the unanimous view among interviewees that interest in the technology has surged over the past few years, with more and more business customers becoming curious and increasingly knowledgeable about its potential applications.

Mats Thulin, Director AI & Analytics Solutions at Axis Communications

“AI is a technology that has the potential to touch every corner and every function of the modern enterprise. That said, any implementations or integrations that aim to drive value come with serious financial and ethical considerations. These considerations should prompt organisations to scrutinise any initiative or investment. Axis’s new report not only shows how AI is transforming the video surveillance landscape, but also how that transformation should ideally be approached,” said Mats Thulin, Director AI & Analytics Solutions at Axis Communications.

According to the Axis report, the move by businesses from on-premise security server systems to hybrid cloud architectures continues at pace, driven by the need for faster processing, improved bandwidth usage and greater scalability. At the same time, cloud-based technology is being combined with edge AI solutions, which play a crucial role by enabling faster, local analytics with minimal latency, a prerequisite for real-time responsiveness in security-related situations.

By moving AI processing closer to the source using edge devices such as cameras, businesses can reduce bandwidth consumption and better support real-time applications like security monitoring. As a result, the hybrid approach is expected to continue to shape the role of AI in security and unlock new business intelligence and operational efficiencies.

A trend that is emerging among businesses is the integration of diverse data for a more comprehensive analysis, transforming safety and security. Experts predict that by integrating additional sensory data, such as audio and contextual environmental factors caught on camera, can lead to enhanced situational awareness and greater actionable insights, offering a more comprehensive understanding of events.

Combining multiple data streams can ultimately lead to improved detection and prediction of potential threats or incidents. For example, in emergency scenarios, pairing visual data with audio analysis can enable security teams to respond more quickly and precisely. This context-aware approach can potentially elevate safety, security and operational efficiency, and reflects how system operators can leverage and process multiple data inputs to make better-informed decisions.

According to the Axis report, interviewees emphasised that responsible AI and ethical considerations are critical priorities in the development and deployment of new systems, raising concerns about decisions potentially based on biased or unreliable AI. Other risks highlighted include those related to privacy violations and how facial and behavioural recognition could have ethical and legal repercussions.

As a result, a recurring theme among interviewees was the importance of embedding responsible AI practices early in the development process. Interviewees also pointed to regulatory frameworks, such as the EU AI Act, as pivotal in shaping responsible use of technology, particularly in high-risk areas. While regulation was broadly acknowledged as necessary to build trust and accountability, several interviewees also stressed the need for balance to safeguard innovation and address privacy and data security concerns.

“The findings of this report reflect how enterprises are viewing the trend of AI holistically, working to have a firm grasp of both how to use the technology effectively and understand the macro implications of its usage. Conversations surrounding privacy and responsibility will continue but so will the pace of innovation and the adoption of technologies that advance the video surveillance industry and lead to new and exciting possibilities,” Thulin added.

To support enterprises and government entities across the Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META) with identifying and validating vulnerabilities and reducing security gaps in real-time, CyberKnight has partnered with Ridge Security, the World’s First Al-powered Offensive Security Validation Platform. Ridge Security’s products incorporate advanced artificial intelligence to deliver security validation through automated penetration testing and breach and attack simulations.

RidgeBot uses advanced AI to autonomously perform multi-vector iterative attacks, conduct continuous penetration testing, and validate vulnerabilities with zero false positives. RidgeBot has been deployed by customers worldwide as a key element of their journey to evolve from traditional vulnerability management to Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM).

“Ridge Security’s core strength lies in delivering holistic, AI-driven security validation that enables organizations to proactively manage risk and improve operational performance,” said Hom Bahmanyar, Chief Enablement Officer at Ridge Security. “We are delighted to partner with CyberKnight to leverage their network of strategic partners, deep-rooted customer relations, and security expertise to accelerate our expansion plans in the region.”

“Our partnership with Ridge Security is a timely and strategic step, as 69% of organizations are now adopting AI-driven security for threat detection and prevention,” added Wael Jaber, Chief Strategy Officer at CyberKnight. “By joining forces, we enhance our ability to deliver automated, intelligent security validation solutions, reaffirming our commitment to empowering customers with resilient, future-ready cybersecurity across the region.”

This strategic collaboration aims to nurture future-ready tech talent and strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for cybersecurity excellence. Under the MoU, CTF.ae will offer internship opportunities for 42 Abu Dhabi students, providing them with hands-on industry exposure and real-world experience in tackling complex cybersecurity challenges. In addition, both parties will collaborate to deliver expert-led talks, workshops, and training sessions focusing on career pathways and emerging technologies.

Joint efforts will also include the organization of industry-themed hackathons, innovation challenges, conferences, youth circles, and networking events to promote a culture of collaboration and continuous learning. Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi, Acting CEO of 42 Abu Dhabi said: ” Our collaboration with CTF.ae is a key milestone in our mission to empower students with real-world cybersecurity expertise and future-proof their careers. By connecting our project-based learning model with CTF.ae’s industry-leading platforms and experiences, we are reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s vision to build a knowledge-based economy, while supporting the UAE’s broader ambitions to become a global leader in cybersecurity innovation. We look forward to seeing our students lead and shape the future of this critical sector.”

Mr. Ahmed Atalla, COO of CTF.ae added, “Working together with 42 Abu Dhabi allows us to connect with the country’s most talented and motivated students, giving them access to realistic cybersecurity scenarios and challenges to expand their skillset and prepare them for the evolving digital landscape of tomorrow. We have seen the passion of the 42 Abu Dhabi students over previous years, and now is the time to provide them with a cybersecurity exercise platform that keeps them engaged year-round, preparing them to compete globally and achieve top ranks representing the nation.”

As part of this collaboration, 42 Abu Dhabi has coordinated with CTF.ae to host an Attack/Defense Capture the Flag (CTF) competition on its campus. The event was held over two days, with an Attack/Defense CTF Workshop scheduled for April 29, followed by the Attack/Defense CTF Competition on April 30.

The OT-focused conference at GISEC Global tackled evolving risks, system vulnerabilities and strategies for securing critical infrastructure. Other important considerations included AI in ICS/OT Security, Quantum Computing Threat, Protecting ICS and SCADA Systems & Digital Supply Chains in the presence of top CISOs, CIOs, OT security heads and policy-makers to fortify SCADA, ICS and digital supply chains.

The global OT security market is projected to double to $44.9 billion by 2029 (as per Markets and Markets). According to research by IBM, the average cost of cyberattacks on organisations in the Middle East is $8.75 million, nearly double the global average. OT security encompasses advanced cybersecurity protocols designed to ensure the integrity, availability and safety of industrial control systems. As critical infrastructure faces escalating cyber threats, robust OT security is essential for maintaining continuity across the oil & gas, manufacturing, energy, transport and utility sectors.

In late 2024, ransomware groups accelerated attacks on industrial sectors, with manufacturing, transportation and ICS operations prime targets. Only aggressive defence, intelligence sharing and cross-sector collaboration will safeguard critical infrastructure into 2025 and beyond. The audience heard from experts on the need for modern OT protection which delved into precision AI, leveraging machine learning, deep learning and large language models.

Discussing cybersecurity threats in the maritime industry, where ships can hold up to 10,000 passengers, are driven autonomously and each country has their own set of AI regulations, Simone Fortin, Global CISO Cruise Division at MSC Cruise Division, called for streamlined regulations that can be applied to all countries around the world.

He said, “For an industry like maritime, which is regulated by the UN, it is hard to interpret how to prevent AI threats for something critical like managing a ship. The UN gives the policy a broader scale, but then everything is regulated by bilateral agreements between the states and the regulators, and implemented by companies; but then, everything is defined by the fact that you could be in international waters. And ships can be owned by one entity, managed by another while sailing under a separate flag.”

Bridging the gap between AI-powered cyber defence and critical infrastructure resilience, the OT Security Track also put the spotlight the escalating IoT/IIoT threats in the oil & gas sector, featuring frontline insights from global CISOs defending the world’s most targeted industries.

Amal Krishna, Executive Director & CISO, ONGC, said, “To combat the surge in OT cyberattacks, businesses must prioritise asset visibility, network segmentation and secure remote access – but equally critical is breaking down silos between IT, OT and engineering teams. Cyber resilience in critical infrastructure isn’t just about technology, it’s about collaboration, continuous monitoring and a security-first culture.”

Albert Vartic, Upstream OT Cybersecurity Officer, OMV Petrom, added, “Over the next five years, OT cybersecurity in the Middle East’s critical infrastructure will see significant evolution. The region’s rapid digitalisation has expanded the attack surface, making industrial systems more vulnerable – proactive measures like IEC 62443 adoption and cross-team collaboration will be essential to safeguard operational resilience.”

Exhibitors Ayman Al Issa (CPX) and Mohammed Mousa (CyberKnight) dissected the 49% surge in OT attacks, offering actionable defences for the energy, healthcare and manufacturing sectors. Mousa, OT/xIoT Consultant at CyberKnight, warns that legacy OT systems weren’t built for today’s threats.

He explained, “The escalation in intrusions is a consequence of accelerated digital transformation in industrial sectors. As organisations integrate IT and OT environments to improve efficiency and support the business, they inadvertently expand the threat surface. Furthermore, legacy systems remain in operation far beyond their intended lifespan and often lack native security controls. Meanwhile, increased reliance on remote access, third-party integrations, and limited OT-specific cybersecurity governance heightens exposure. Simply put, organisations are moving faster than their security strategies are evolving.”

For businesses and governments to stay ahead of cyber criminals, Al Issa, Director – OT Cybersecurity at CPX, emphasised the importance of undertaking risk and threat assessments to understand what assets are at risk and how potential attackers might target them, sooner rather than later. He said, “In today’s fast-shifting business landscape, organisations need to focus on identifying their most critical assets – those that are at the highest risk and that they care about the most, rather than trying to protect everything or plan for recovery across the entire business. As such, organisations should conduct in-depth threat and risk assessments specifically considering the unique characteristics of industrial control systems (ICS), including their physical consequences. This involves mapping out interdependence, potential attack vectors and consequences of downtime. Using threat intelligence and aligning with frameworks like CIS ICS Controls can help organisations monitor suspicious activity, manage vulnerabilities and create tailored incident response plans. Once this is clear, more targeted and practical defence measures can be put in place and continuously tested, using threat intelligence to stay ahead of evolving threats. Risk assessments should be continuous, evolving with technological changes and emerging threats and should be validated through regular penetration testing.”

Amr Elsayed, Regional OT/ICS Cybersecurity Specialist at CyberKnight, agrees, saying technology, collaboration and workforce training should be key priorities for businesses. He said, “To enhance OT security resilience against rising cyber threats, businesses should adopt a Zero Trust approach, enforcing least-privilege access and micro-segmentation to limit breach impact. Advanced real-time monitoring and threat intelligence sharing (ISACs, public-private partnerships) are critical for proactive defences. Additionally, maintaining accurate OT asset inventories, conducting OT-specific incident response drills and implementing risk-based vulnerability management (compensating controls, tailored patching) will strengthen security postures. Finally, OT-focused employee training ensures a security-aware workforce. By prioritising these measures – spanning technology, collaboration and workforce readiness – organisations can safeguard critical infrastructure, mitigate disruptions and build long-term cyber resilience in OT environments.”

With Middle East nations rapidly adopting digitisation into their day-to-day practices, the region is becoming a target for cyberattacks. However, the experts expect a number of measures to be put in place to protect cybersecurity infrastructure, and GISEC 2025 could be where policymakers and tech giants will draft the playbook. Al Issa added, “Over the next five years, we can expect a major shift toward structured, regulation-driven cybersecurity approaches. AI-driven OT threat detection, the widespread adoption of Zero Trust principles and deeper integration of compliance frameworks will define the regional OT cybersecurity landscape. Stricter regulatory frameworks and compliance mandates region-wide will push for better security practices.”

Organised by Dubai World Trade Centre, GISEC Global 2025 is hosted by the UAE Cybersecurity Council under the theme of ‘Securing an AI-Powered Future’, and supported by Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC), UAE Ministry of Interior and Dubai Police.

The briefing, themed “Establishing a Unified Cybersecurity Foundation to Safeguard the Expanding Digital and Intelligent Landscape,” featured presentations by Dr. Zhu Shenggao, Vice President of AI at Huawei Cloud Middle East & Central Asia; Richard Wu, President of Security Product Domain in the Data Communication Product Line, Huawei; and Yongjian Li, President of Data Protection, Huawei. Moderated by Colm Murphy from the Huawei European Cybersecurity Center, the session was attended by media representatives from the GCC, reflecting the region’s increasing emphasis on collaborative cybersecurity strategies.

Strategic Investment in Research and Development
Huawei’s commitment to cybersecurity is underscored by its sustained investment in research and development. Mr. Murphy highlighted the company’s dedication to innovation, noting that in 2024, Huawei allocated USD 24.6 billion to R&D, representing 20.8% of its annual revenue. “The company’s cumulative R&D investment over the past decade amounts to USD 171.1 billion, demonstrating its commitment to continuous advancement in cybersecurity,” Mr. Murphy stated. “Huawei currently employs more than 3,000 cybersecurity R&D personnel, with 5% of its R&D expenditure focused on enhancing the security of its products.”

This investment supports Huawei’s strategic approach to cybersecurity, predicated on the principle that security should be integral to system design and based on rigorous verification against established standards. This commitment is manifested in a comprehensive governance framework and a dedication to providing secure technologies through collaborative partnerships, contributing to industry standards, and upholding privacy and data sovereignty.

Addressing the Evolving Threat Landscape with AI-Native Security
A central focus of the briefing was the increasing prevalence of AI-driven cyberattacks. Mr. Wu emphasized the escalating frequency, sophistication, and covert nature of these threats, noting the utilization of AI technologies by malicious actors to execute advanced attacks and rapidly generate malware variants.

Dr. Zhu addressed this challenge by presenting Huawei Cloud’s AI-Native Security paradigm. “Cybersecurity and privacy protection constitute the cornerstones of development in the digital and intelligent world,” Dr. Zhu stated. “Our unified approach integrates protection across cloud, network, edge, and endpoint environments to provide the comprehensive security foundation necessary for organizations to innovate with confidence.”

Huawei Cloud’s AI Pangu security models integrate comprehensive threat intelligence with specialized capabilities, automating 99% of threat responses and significantly reducing incident detection times. This proactive approach is essential in an environment where conventional security measures are often inadequate in addressing rapidly evolving threats.

Mitigating the Threat of Ransomware: A Multi-Layered Defense Strategy
The briefing also addressed the escalating threat of ransomware, which Mr. Wu reported resulted in USD 42 billion in global losses in 2024. Huawei’s multi-layered protection solution provides active defense with a 99.99% ransomware detection rate, while its HiSec Endpoint product employs AI-driven monitoring to initiate file backup upon detection of suspicious encryption activity.

“In the context of an increasingly complex threat landscape characterized by more frequent, automated, and covert cyber-attacks, cybersecurity must transition from reactive to proactive threat containment,” Mr. Wu stated. “Our unified cybersecurity foundation reflects Huawei’s commitment to assisting organizations in safeguarding their critical digital assets while enabling continued innovation.”

Revolutionizing Data Protection and Recovery Capabilities
Mr. Li introduced Huawei’s innovative approach to data protection and storage security with the unveiling of the OceanProtect E8000. This advanced system features a 3-in-1 converged architecture that integrates backup software servers, short-term retention storage, and long-term retention storage into a unified system.

“Organizations today require comprehensive protection and rapid recovery capabilities,” said Mr. Li. “With OceanProtect E8000, we are providing both within a single integrated system that significantly reduces complexity while enhancing security.” The OceanProtect E8000 delivers a 5x improvement in recovery performance, enabling the restoration of 1TB of data in 20 seconds, and offers a high-density 2PB/2U capacity that reduces rack space requirements by up to 90% compared to conventional solutions.

Fostering Collaboration and Ensuring Compliance
During the Q&A session, the speakers highlighted Huawei’s strategic partnership with Jeraisy Group in Saudi Arabia and discussed Huawei’s Cloud Service Cybersecurity & Compliance Standard (3CS), a framework based on more than 16 global security standards that ensures robust compliance and governance across all deployments.