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.

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.”

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.

With the global cybersecurity market anticipated to be worth $298.5 billion by 2028, according to Markets and Markets, the 14th edition’s opening day saw several panel discussions, workshops and roundtables take place, focusing on the power of AI and how it’s changing the cybersecurity landscape.

H.E. Dr Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council, delivered a powerful speech on the importance of harnessing AI, navigating geopolitical tensions and securing the Digital Future. He revealed an alarming statistic: the UAE is facing more than 200,000 daily cyberattacks, with government entities being the most targeted. Robust measures are being taken, he said, and with the advent of the fifth industrial revolution, cybersecurity must evolve to tackle the threats posed by AI tools. He highlighted human-data interfaces, autonomous systems and AI governance and digital ethics as key areas that the industry needs to rapidly review.

He said, “Cybersecurity has become an integral part of everything that we do, and the UAE is already moving towards becoming an AI-nation in cybersecurity. There are so many great pillars as part of our UAE National Cybersecurity Strategy that focus on governance, innovation, defence and protection – all of which remain vital for the future.”

Renowned cybersecurity expert and entrepreneur, Eugene Kaspersky, CEO and founder of Kaspersky, was among the speakers to take to the stage. Addressing the audience, he described AI as a tool that is benefiting both cybercriminals and businesses, but emphasised that greater efforts need to be implemented by organisations to help build a safe AI-driven future.

He said, “We are living in a world where it’s very much AI vs AI – defence against attack. With that said, the world is interconnected through digitalisation and is part of every aspect of our everyday lives. Using AI will only take that to the next level and will make things faster and better. However, unfortunately, we are facing issues with cybercrime, and that can stop us from using AI globally, but the good news is that cybersecurity companies are investing and working on immunity that will make future systems impeccable and secure, which can help us take the next stage.”

Attendees also gained a fascinating insight into Dubai’s ongoing commitment to protecting the emirate digitally at a time when it is accelerating its efforts to become a ‘smart’ city. During his presentation, Faisal Abdulaziz, Director of the Cybersecurity Threat Center of Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC), highlighted the work the organisation is doing to embed cybersecurity into every layer of Dubai’s digital transformation, safeguarding the city’s smart services, critical infrastructure and digital economy – with a key focus on talent development.

Another speaker to address the audience was Aarti Borkar, CVP of Security, Customers Success and Incident Response at Microsoft. She revealed that 80 per cent of leaders cited leakage of sensitive data as their main concern, while 88 per cent of organisations are concerned about indirect prompt injection attacks, emphasising the importance of secure and resilient infrastructure.

“Success in AI is defined by your practical techniques and security must come above all else,” she said. “When it comes to building safe systems, you must plan the final stage as a perfect solution that you can use and then create milestones on how you get there. Then work on the thing that will hurt the most first, and then gradually the next element. Every day, you have to move towards the next step of being safe and staying compliant, so we can use AI safely and efficiently.”

The event has brought together some of the leading players in the industry, including Huawei, AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud Security, CISCO, Deloitte, Kaspersky, Check Point, Cloudflare and Honeywell, alongside groundbreaking cybersecurity companies Spire Solutions, CPX, CyberKnight, LinkShadow, OPSWAT, Qualys, CrowdStrike and StrikeReady.

GISEC Global 2025, which is hosted by the UAE Cyber Security Council, supported by DESC, the UAE Ministry of Interior and Dubai Police, will continue on Wednesday with more engaging panel discussions and thought-provoking debates on AI’s pressing issues from weaponised large language models (LLMs) to next-gen AI-powered defences. Rysha Media is the official media partner of the event.

At GISEC, ESET will spotlight its latest innovations across threat intelligence, endpoint protection, extended detection and response (XDR), and cloud-native security. At GISEC 2025, ESET’s experts will demonstrate how its AI-driven, multi-layered security architecture empowers organizations to defend against advanced threats in real time, while also building long-term cyber resilience.

ESET’s participation highlights its dedication to supporting digital transformation across the GCC and broader Middle East region. As governments and enterprises continue to adopt cloud, mobile, and hybrid IT infrastructures, ESET’s solutions are enabling secure growth by providing deep visibility, adaptive threat protection, and operational flexibility. The company is also committed to enabling its regional partners through training, local support, and access to advanced tools designed for modern cybersecurity challenges.

Commenting on their involvement, ESET executives emphasized the strategic importance of GISEC in building stronger cybersecurity alliances. “As cyber threats become more sophisticated, collaboration and knowledge-sharing are key,” they said. “GISEC is a valuable platform for us to connect with regional leaders, share our award-winning technologies, and shape a more secure digital ecosystem.”

What key messages or solutions are you highlighting at GISEC this year?
At GISEC 2025, Check Point Software is focusing on delivering AI-powered cybersecurity innovations that address the specific challenges faced by businesses in the UAE and the wider GCC region. The company is emphasizing practical, prevention-first solutions to help organizations tackle evolving cyber threats. Key themes include collaboration and integrated security, offering multi-layered protection across networks, cloud environments, endpoints and applications. By combining real-time intelligence with adaptable technologies, Check Point Software is demonstrating how businesses can enhance their cyber resilience and support secure digital transformation in the region.

How does GISEC help your company engage with the Middle Eastern cybersecurity market?
GISEC serves as a vital platform for Check Point Software to connect directly with customers and partners in the region. The event enables the company to understand regional security needs, showcase innovations and foster collaboration with local and global technology partners. Through GISEC, Check Point Software can demonstrate its proactive, prevention-first approach to cybersecurity, while also engaging with government agencies, businesses and security professionals to drive knowledge exchange and ensure that cybersecurity strategies are aligned with regional threats and regulatory requirements. Check Point Software’s growing role in the region includes efforts to build cyber security talent through its SecureAcademy program, enhance support for managed security service providers (MSSPs) and foster innovation with local technology alliances. These investments reflect the company’s continued leadership in the region and its vision for enabling secure digital transformation.

How would you describe the current cybersecurity threat landscape in the Middle East?
The cybersecurity landscape in the Middle East is increasingly complex and fast-evolving, marked by a high volume of attacks targeting key sectors like education, communications and utilities. Organizations in the region are experiencing an average of 2,288 attacks per week, well above the global average. Malware threats such as FakeUpdates, Phorpiex botnets and AgentTesla infostealers are prominent, while vulnerabilities linked to information disclosure are the most frequently exploited, impacting nearly three-quarters of organizations. The rise of state-sponsored cyber activities, combined with increased attacks on cloud and hybrid environments, underscores the need for proactive, multi-layered security strategies to defend against a broad spectrum of threats.

What are the most pressing cyber threats facing businesses in the region today?
Businesses in the Middle East face a diverse range of cyber threats, from widespread malware infections to sophisticated targeted attacks. Infostealers, botnets and remote access trojans are prevalent, with attackers frequently leveraging web-based delivery mechanisms, accounting for over 50% of malicious file distribution in recent weeks. Vulnerabilities tied to information disclosure continue to be heavily exploited, while misconfigurations in cloud and hybrid infrastructures are creating additional risk. There’s also a growing trend of cyberattacks aimed at supply chains and third-party vendors. Together, these threats highlight the urgent need for comprehensive protection across all attack surfaces, including web, cloud, endpoints and applications.

How do cultural or regulatory differences impact cybersecurity strategies in the Middle East compared to other regions?
The Middle East’s unique cultural and regulatory environment shapes cybersecurity strategies. Local laws around data residency and privacy, such as the UAE’s national data residency requirements, necessitate customized security solutions. Check Point Software supports these needs with region-specific solutions, including the UAE Infinity Portal, which complies with national data laws and Infinity XDR/XPR, a regionally launched platform combining extended detection and response with automated prevention. Navigating diverse regulations across the region is essential as businesses accelerate digital transformation.

How do your company’s products and services address the specific threats faced by regional businesses?
Check Point Software’s cybersecurity portfolio is designed to meet the dynamic needs of businesses in the Middle East through a prevention-first approach, unified visibility and real-time intelligence. The Infinity architecture offers AI-driven protection across every vector, network, cloud, endpoint, IoT and email—empowered by Infinity ThreatCloud AI, which ingests regional threat intelligence. With solutions like Infinity XDR/XPR, Check Point Software helps businesses detect and respond to threats faster while ensuring compliance with local regulations, enabling stronger cyber resilience amid rising attack volumes.

Are you partnering with any local entities or governments to enhance regional cybersecurity resilience?
Check Point Software is actively collaborating with regional partners to strengthen cybersecurity resilience across the region. At GISEC 2025, the company is participating alongside partners like AWS, Radware, TechBridge Distribution MEA and WIZ. These partnerships support efforts to align security technologies, knowledge sharing and regional priorities, helping organizations enhance their resilience in an increasingly complex and fast-moving threat environment. The company’s growing role in the region reflects its commitment to supporting organizations in securing their digital transformation while contributing to the region’s cybersecurity ecosystem.

What advice would you give to regional businesses looking to strengthen their cybersecurity posture in 2025?
Businesses in the region should prioritize a proactive, prevention-first approach to cybersecurity, focusing on AI-driven solutions that can detect and neutralize threats in real-time. Ensuring cloud environments are secure, addressing misconfigurations and safeguarding edge devices are essential steps. Additionally, businesses should implement robust access control measures and continuously upskill their teams to stay ahead of emerging threats. Embracing automated threat intelligence will also help organizations maintain strong defenses in an ever-evolving threat landscape.

This participation reflects the Center’s commitment to safeguarding digital infrastructure, fostering innovation, enhancing cyber resilience, and promoting robust cooperation at both the local and international levels. During the three-day event, DESC will spotlight a number of key initiatives, including the “Dubai Cyber Challenge”, an exclusive competitive simulation designed to enhance the cyber readiness of Dubai government entities, and the “School of Cyber Defense” CTF competition, which attracted registrations from over 300 university students, engaging them in technical challenges and hands-on training. These programs form a key part of DESC’s ongoing efforts to build a pipeline of skilled cybersecurity professionals equipped to navigate evolving digital threats.

H.E. Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, CEO of the Dubai Electronic Security Center, commented, “DESC’s participation in GISEC Global 2025 reflects our steadfast commitment to securing Dubai’s digital future through proactive cybersecurity measures, innovation-driven initiatives, and an integrated ecosystem that fosters collaboration by building partnerships across public and private sectors. GISEC continues to serve as a dynamic platform where industry leaders, experts, and innovators come together to shape the future of cybersecurity.”

“GISEC 2025 provides a critical platform for strategic engagement with global cybersecurity innovators, allowing us to gain insights into emerging technologies and anticipate future threats. These interactions directly support our efforts to create forward-looking policies, develop advanced cyber solutions, and empower national talent to lead in this field. Through such initiatives, we continue to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global hub for cybersecurity excellence and digital innovation,” Al Shaibani added.

DESC experts will also take part in high-level panel discussions addressing key challenges and emerging trends in the cybersecurity landscape. The Center will also formalize strategic partnerships and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), aimed at enhancing cross-sector collaboration and strengthening national efforts to secure the cyber space.

Visitors to GISEC Global 2025 are invited to explore DESC’s initiatives at Stand A80 in Hall 7, where DESC will showcase its latest projects, including future-ready cybersecurity guidelines and certification programs designed to keep pace with the evolving digital landscape and strengthen national capabilities. The stand will also serve as a unique opportunity for attendees to engage with DESC’s experts and explore opportunities for joint collaboration.

“The race to embed AI into environments has inadvertently created a new set of identity security risks centered around the access of unmanaged and unsecured machine identities – and the privileged access of AI agents will represent an entirely new threat vector,” said Craig Harwood, Area VP for Africa and the Middle East at CyberArk. “For UAE organizations to stay resilient, CISOs and security leaders must modernize their identity security strategies to contend with a new and expanding attack surface characterized by the proliferation of identities with privileged access and made worse by damaging identity silos.”

‘Rise of the machines’ contributes to unsecured privilege sprawl: Machine identities, driven primarily by cloud and AI, now vastly outnumber human identities within organizations and nearly half have sensitive or privileged access. However, many enterprises leave both human and machine access to critical systems under-secured. There are 82 machine identities for every human in organizations worldwide.

In 92% of UAE organizations, the definition of a ‘privileged user’ applies solely to human identities – but 42% of machine identities have privileged or sensitive access. Fifty two percent do not have identity security controls in place to secure cloud infrastructure and workloads. Fifty four percent of UAE organizations experienced at least two successful identity-centric breaches in the past 12 months, ranging from supply chain attacks and compromised privileged access to identity and credential theft.

AI is everywhere and identity-centric agentic AI risk looms: Sanctioned and unsanctioned adoption of AI and large language models (LLMs) is simultaneously transforming organizations while amplifying cybersecurity risks. Concerns around the emergence of AI agents in the UAE and their privileged access underscores the urgency for targeted identity security investment. AI will drive the creation of the greatest number of new identities with privileged and sensitive access in 2025.

Only eighteen percent of UAE organizations have identity security controls for AI in place. Sixty percent cannot secure shadow AI usage in their organization. AI agent adoption roadblocks include manipulation and sensitive access concerns. Complexity and identity silos are overwhelming security leaders and undermining business resilience: Fragmented identity security programs and poor environmental visibility are diminishing resilience in the face of evolving cybersecurity threats. Most organizations face increased privilege-related compliance pressure.

Seventy percent of UAE respondents say identity silos are a root cause of organizational cybersecurity risk. Sixty eight percent of security professionals in the UAE agree that their organizations prioritize business efficiencies over robust cybersecurity. Human and machine identities – many of them with privileged access – are expected to double in 2025. Ninety percent of UAE organizations are under increased pressure from insurers mandating enhanced privilege controls.

CyberArk is also participating at GISEC Global 2025, taking place from 6–8 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The company will be present at the HELP AG stand, where it will host a dedicated pod showcasing its latest cybersecurity solutions and discuss the Identity Security Landscape report. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with CyberArk’s leadership, including Craig Harwood, Vice President for Middle East and Africa, and Laurence Elbana, Director of Sales, who will be available throughout the event.