Cybersecurity an important element of an increasingly digital world

Cybersecurity should be at the top of the agenda for organisations in an increasingly digital and connected world, experts said at 10th edition of GISEC Global.

Inaugurated by Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Obaid Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, the three-day cybersecurity event brings together more than 300 leading cybersecurity companies from over 100 countries.

In his keynote speech on the first day of the event, Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of Cyber Security, United Arab Emirates Government, highlighted how awareness and collaboration are key to building a culture of cybersecurity readiness. “We need to innovate and work towards building the next generation of cyber security professionals. The UAE Cybersecurity Council has a timeline and the plan is to export the UAE’s cybersecurity model across the region.”

“As the world starts to recover from the pandemic, big industry – education, healthcare, oil and gas, aviation, etc. – is going through rapid digital transformation. Their security is our security, and the more they are secure, the more we are secure. Cyber-attacks aren’t bound by borders, so neither should be our approach to private sector and government collaboration,” he said.

Similarly, Jasim Al Awadi, head of Government & Key Accounts at du, also observed the changing nature of cybersecurity as it evolves to meet the needs of residents across the UAE. “At du, we play a major role in the cybersecurity landscape of the UAE because we are right at the core of the business landscape. User behaviour is increasingly changing and residents are increasingly leading more digital and connected lives, which means that data security will be key moving forward.”

He also explained that du has been a pioneer in this space, since the company identified and pushed for early investments in cybersecurity technology. “Cybersecurity defenses have to be tailored around both users and businesses, and we are proud to say that security is in our very DNA. Our Cybersecurity Defence Centre features 24/7 security operations and response services to address cybersecurity risks in even the most complex environments. When it comes to threats in the cyberspace, you have to be ready before the attack happens, and I think that the UAE is on the right track in preparing itself for a more secure digital future.”

Emad Haffar, head of Technical Experts for Middle East, Turkey and Africa at Kaspersky, also shared his thoughts on threats and threat actors in the sphere today, saying: “Security doesn’t stop at any given point. The nature of cyberattacks mean that we have to be agile and flexible in our approach. Organisations also have to continuously push the bar and ensure that they are investing in both technologies and the expertise needed to understand the nature of threats that they will face.”

This is where Kaspersky comes in the equation, he said. “We offer both the technology and the expertise to better secure an organisation’s assets and operations, and help them stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.”

rohma@khaleejtimes.com