expert
OPINION
HESHAM FAYED , MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA AT DXC TECHNOLOGY
Hesham Fayed , Managing Director for Middle East and Africa at DXC Technology , discusses how public and private organisations in the Middle East can take stock of their cybersecurity goals , measure their progress and be prepared for what lies ahead .
Navigating emerging threats and trends
ybersecurity Awareness Month was
C an opportunity for public and private organisations in the region to take stock of their cybersecurity goals , measure their progress and be prepared for what lies ahead .
Spending on security products and services in the Middle East and Africa ( MEA ) is already expected to grow by over 10 % year on year in 2024 reaching US $ 6.2 billion , according to IDC projections .
Hesham Fayed , Managing Director for Middle East & Africa at DXC Technology , highlights five significant ways that organisations in the region are transforming their security programmes to defend against cyberthreats .
1 . AI rising as a key player in the fight against cybercrime
In the battle against cyberthreats , AI offers significant benefits due to its ability to process vast amounts of data , identify patterns and detect signs of an attempted attack . It ’ s also a useful tool for detecting malicious activity in a system or network , and spotting anomalies or suspicious behaviours .
But while the cybersecurity industry is focused on how to use AI to stop bad actors , cybercriminals often use AI itself to increase the speed , scale and intensity of their attacks . For example , phishing emails have evolved from simple deceptive emails to ones that have become more advanced , harder to spot and significantly more dangerous . Attackers are also successful at using deepfakes to perpetrate fraud or manipulate an audience into action .
One recent Cisco study highlights a significant surge in the use of AI technologies in cybersecurity strategies , with 91 % of companies surveyed in the UAE integrating AI in their security defences . As AI adoption continues to swell in the region , it is imperative that organisations create automated AIbased security controls and response mechanisms to react faster and more accurately to cyberattacks , reducing possible downtime and protecting personal and business-critical data .
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