Today's Edition
YOUSEF AL ARABI (ABU DHABI)
Robots powered by artificial intelligence (AI) automate the tasks of a security operations centre (SOC) operator to respond to cyberattacks, replacing humans in gathering extended context, analysing, searching and comparing implicit links between events in the system and immediately conveying the results in a language the operator understands, according to cybersecurity experts.
In remarks to Aletihad, they said that technology companies that provide information technology services, namely data centres, cloud service providers, and telecommunications companies, are better protected from attacks.
Financial institutions come second, as they are traditionally invested in the field of security and adhere to information security standards, according to the experts.
They pointed out that all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are witnessing an increase in public awareness regarding the importance of cybersecurity and are also witnessing an increase in the number of public events supported by government cybersecurity councils, such as large exhibitions as LEAP, GITEX, and GISEC, in addition to dedicated educational workshops and networking seminars for security officials.
Security Operations Centre
Evgeniya Popova, International Business Director at Positive Technologies, told Aletihad that the possibility of error in a process that relies on AI robots is almost zero. However, the main challenge in the cybersecurity industry is how to teach robots cumulative experience, as the current focus is on creating an environment and tools that help train automated models to raise the level of automation in security operations centres, and thus cybersecurity resilience, she added.
Popova pointed out that spending on information security in the GCC countries is constantly increasing, and it is almost inconceivable that a large company with assets exceeding 5,000 devices can operate without a specialised internal team in an operations safety centre.
“The average budget for building a complete cybersecurity operations centre starts from Dh45 million, and is usually allocated for a time period of five years. Depending on the industry, different strategies may affect spending, as the cybersecurity operations centre located on-site currently competes with cyber-security operations centre as a Service (SOC-as-a-Service) and nested models,” she added.
She noted that telecommunications companies, government agencies, and large companies often rely on privately managed security service providers (MSSP) to effectively serve their needs in the field of cybersecurity and attract external user companies to gain a larger market share.
Popova also said that this transformation is taking place at a large scale in the GCC region, and the cost of setting up a commercially managed security services provider (MSSP) starts from Dh2.5 million.
Growing Awareness
‘’We have recently noticed the tendency of many cybersecurity industries to invest in raising awareness among individuals and companies about cyber risks, as all Gulf Cooperation Council countries are witnessing an increase in the number and diversity of public events supported by government cybersecurity councils, such as large industrial exhibitions and conferences such as LEAP, GITEX, and GISEC, as well as customised educational workshops and networking seminars for CISOs,” she said.
According to Popova, 78% of cyberattacks on organisations in the region are directed towards computers, servers, and network equipment.
‘’This is attributed to the activity of APT (advanced persistent threat) groups targeting end devices and servers, in addition to the presence of groups working to impose ransom, and it is considered targeting users. It is one of the most widespread methods currently used, as malicious attacks target 41% of organisations and 96% of individuals,” she noted.
‘’The results of our projects completed throughout the year show that the largest technology companies providing IT services, especially data centres, cloud service providers, and telecommunications companies, are better protected from attacks thanks to thoughtful work and investments in this field. Financial institutions occupy second place, as they are traditionally invested in security and follow industry information security standards,’’ Popova said.
Regarding awareness of information security in the GCC, Popova said that the UAE adopts the latest information security technologies.
Human Oversight
For his part, Emad Fahmy, Director of Systems Engineering in the Middle East at Netscout, said that the volume of spending on information security software in the Middle East and North Africa region will reach about $183.8 billion in 2024.
“The UAE is distinguished by its strong commitment to promoting and developing cybersecurity technologies. The UAE has always been a major contributor to the adoption of the latest information security software methods and technologies,” Fahmy added.
The Middle East region has greatly strengthened its data protection strategies through large investments in technology, as the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are regularly updating and enacting laws related to cybersecurity, such as the Federal Data Protection Law and Personal Data Protection Law.
He highlighted the UAE’s Federal Law No. 45 of 2021 and the Personal Data Protection Law in Saudi Arabia of 2021 in this regard, adding that both Bahrain and Qatar have imposed strict data protection laws.
“This reflects the regional dedication to protecting the rights of individuals, adopting technology, and complying with international standards considering the increasing influence of new technology and cybersecurity challenges,” Fahmy added.
He pointed out that with the development of AI systems and the emergence of other technologies, such as the Metaverse, there will be an increasing risk of cybercriminals exploiting their capabilities to carry out complex attacks.
“This is what makes legal controls necessary to reduce the impact of harmful AI applications,” Fahmy noted.
“The current development of artificial intelligence has affected regulatory efforts, and there is a need for human oversight and cooperation to ensure that artificial intelligence is used in a safe and ethical manner,’’ he added.
