Security Advisor Middle East | Issue 36

ISSUE 36 | MARCH 2019

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Safe space Genetec on securing smart cities

DEFENDING DIGITAL NATIONS Addressing the talent crunch

Security automation

Opportunities and challenges

GBM’S HANI NOFAL ON NAVIGATING THE REGIONAL THREAT LANDSCAPE

Smartly Tough We are in Middle East Now!

Rugged devices for Edge Computing & IoT Industrial work stations Rugged servers Portable servers Industrial mini servers Custom appliances

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CONTENTS FOUNDER, CPI MEDIA GROUP Dominic De Sousa (1959-2015) Publishing Director Natasha Pendleton natasha.pendleton@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9139 EDITORIAL Managing Editor Michael Jabri-Pickett mjp@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9158 Online Editor Adelle Geronimo adelle.geronimo@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9135

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Contributing Editors James Dartnell james.dartnell@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9153 Janees Reghelini janees.reghelini@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9167 DESIGN Senior Designer Analou Balbero analou.balbero@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9140 Designer Mhar Delaben marlou.delaben@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9156 ADVERTISING Group Sales Director Kausar Syed kausar.syed@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9130 Senior Sales Manager Sabita Miranda sabita.miranda@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9128 Sales Manager Nasir Bazaz nasir.bazaz@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9147 Business Development Manager Youssef Hariz youssef.hariz@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9111 PRODUCTION Operations Manager Shweta Santosh shweta.santosh@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9107 DIGITAL SERVICES Web Developer Jefferson de Joya Abbas Madh

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BREACHED OR NOT BREACHED?

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GBM on navigating the regional threat landscape

Photographer Charls Thomas Maksym Poriechkin webmaster@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9100 Published by

Registered at Dubai Production City, DCCA PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

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AUTOMATED FUTURE

Printed by Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Regional partner of

While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

How security automation can change the game

16 THE TALENT CRUNCH

© Copyright 2018 CPI All rights reserved

The latest news on who’s moving in the regional security industry

Industry experts on how organisations can overcome the skills challenge

24 KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Westcon-Comstor on why continuous education is vital for staying ahead of the “bad guys”

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DEFENDING DIGITAL NATIONS

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How Middle East governments can stay secure in the digital era

SET FOR GROWTH Cybersecurity-focused VAD Gulf IT Distribution shares its “partner-focused and customer-centric” strategy

NEWS

DARKMATTER UNVEILS “WORLD’S FIRST ULTRA-SECURE SMARTPHONE” MAHMOUD SAMY, FORCEPOINT

GLOBAL CYBERSECURITY FIRM EXPANDS DATA CENTRE FOOTPRINT IN UAE Forcepoint has opened a new data centre in Dubai, providing advanced web security and low latency benefits to customers in the Middle East.

The data centre represents the latest investment in the region by Forcepoint, offering Forcepoint Cloud Web Security to organisations looking to utilise incountry secure cloud services locally.

The Dubai data centre offers customers within and nearby the UAE the ability to receive web results more quickly. In addition, the new location addresses need from organisations (public sector and enterprise) who handle sensitive information and prefer content to be in close proximity. The combination of minimal latency, localised access to data and support for all connectivities, such as Proxy Connect and Direct Connect, will reinforce Forcepoint’s security offering in the region.

Mahmoud-Samy Ibrahim, Area Vice President for the Emerging Region at Forcepoint, said, “The opening of this data centre represents a milestone for Forcepoint’s continued investment in the region, as its global footprint grows. The cybersecurity industry in the Middle East is undergoing a period of drastic change and customer demands for security are shifting alongside it. It is imperative that Forcepoint is able to provide advanced security solutions that meet and exceed these demands and enable customers from different industries to defend against sophisticated attacks.”

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DarkMatter Group has unveiled KATIM R01, which it dubbed as the “world’s first ultra-secure smartphone” designed to withstand extreme field conditions.

Designed, vetted and tested by DarkMatter’s engineers in the UAE, Finland and Canada, KATIM R01 is equipped with the company’s end-to-end secure communications solutions and a full secure suite of applications based on custom and quantum-resistance cryptographic protocols.

The KATIM, according to DarkMatter, features the strength and rigidity delivered by five layers of hardened case, designed to meet two military standards for harsh field conditions.

It also sports an in-built barometer, temperature and humidity sensors optimize endurance and durability for vibration, water, dust, altitude and

extreme temperatures. Faced with an emergency situation when fast decisionmaking is critical, KATIM R01 delivers messages sent with GPS coordinates, with a dedicated SOS button and touch screen that is accurate with gloved and wet hand operation.

The KATIM RO1 has a range security features separate communications and data from the outside world. It uses advanced active physical and real-time monitoring to instantly detect intrusions and wipes the phone to protect the user’s data. For highly confidential discussions, SHIELD MODE securely cuts off microphones and cameras while still powered on and online.

MIMECAST ACQUIRES DATA MIGRATION STARTUP PETER BAUER, MIMECAST

Mimecast has announced it has acquired Simply Migrate, a provider of archive data migration technology.

With this acquisition, Mimecast expands its migration services with a rich portfolio of connectors, combined with a deeper experience in helping organisations get out of the business of managing expensive, unreliable legacy archives so they can move to a next-generation data protection strategy in the Mimecast cloud.

This helps enable them to reduce costs, safeguard their intellectual property, preserve institutional memory, accelerate e-discovery and achieve compliance.

Peter Bauer, chief executive officer, Mimecast, said, “With the acquisition of Simply Migrate, customers can reap the benefits of the Mimecast Cloud Archive, which was recently named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Information Archiving for the fourth year in a row. The technology Simply Migrate offers is engineered to provide end-to-end migration into the Mimecast Cloud Archive, helping to cut costs and operational complexity while achieving a superior result with more flexible access to data, case management, supervision and more.”

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DUBAI DIGITAL BANK LAUNCHES NEW SERVICE GROWING IT COMPLEXITIES DRIVING TO SECURE SMARTPHONES SECURITY SPENDING IN The new offering is the first in a series of insurance products that Liv. will make META: STUDY available on its platform under the Liv.

JAYASH PATEL, HEAD OF LIV.

UAE mobile phone owners can now enjoy complete protection for their devices with a new mobile insurance plan from Liv., the lifestyle digital bank

by Emirates NBD. A first in the UAE, Liv.’s Mobile Insurance, offered in partnership with RSA Insurance, offers an entirely paperfree process from purchase of policy to claims, all via the Liv. App.

Sure brand in the coming months.

Jayash Patel, Head of Liv, said, “It is quite common for mobile devices to sustain damage during usage: three in four people have broken a phone screen at some point in their lives, while one in four tend to drop their phones in liquid. Liv.’s Mobile Insurance offers owners complete peace of mind against such events in an easy, quick and convenient way.”

Liv. Mobile Insurance offers owners instant cover from the time of policy purchase, an easy and fully digital claims process as well as rewards in case there are no claims made, all at a fraction of the cost of a new smartphone. The plan covers devices up to two years old and can be bought and renewed from the Liv. App.

MEGHA KUMAR, IDC META

Spending on IT security in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) is set to cross the $2.7 billion mark this year, up 10.2 percent on 2018, according to the latest figures from IDC. The research and analyst firm noted that the growth can be attributed to the fact that security incidents are becoming far more complex and persistent, with a new breed of stealthy attackers using vulnerabilities in systems and even the Internet of Things (IoT) to bring down services.

The main strength of the fake apps, “Digital transformation is becoming according to ESET, is their direct increasingly mainstream across the impersonation of legitimate banking region, with emerging technologies applications. If users fall for the such as cognitive systems, virtual and impersonation and install a fake banking augmented reality, robotics, and IoT app, there is a high chance they will gaining traction,” said Megha Kumar, treat the login screen displayed by the research director for software, IDC app as legitimate and submit their META. “In this new era, security must credentials. Contrary to banking Trojans, become more pervasive. Organisations fake banking apps have no intrusive can no longer settle for permission requests to raise the users’ standard solutions; suspicion after installation. they must move To stay safe from banking forward by malware, ESET experts embracing recommend that users to a proactive follow simple precautions approach such as keeping their to the Android device updated issues of and use a reliable mobile FORECASTED SPENDING ON defense, security solution; and staying IT SECURITY IN THE MIDDLE protection, away from unofficial app EAST, TURKEY, AND AFRICA mitigation, stores, if possible; always keep IN 2019 compliance, “installation of apps from unknown SOURCE: IDC trust, and risk.” sources” disabled on their device.

FAKE BANKING APPS ON THE RISE: ESET

LUKÁŠ ŠTEFANKO, ESET

ESET researchers have issued a warning on an underestimated threat of fake banking apps, a type of mobile banking malware that impersonates legitimate finance applications to steal credentials for, or money from, its victims’ bank accounts.

The research has identified fake banking apps and sophisticated banking Trojans as the two most prevalent types of Android banking malware.

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$2.7 BILLION

MARCH 2019

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

STARLINK APPOINTS NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

> ZAIDOUN ARBAD, STARLINK

Security value-added distributor StarLink has appointed Zaidoun Arbad in the capacity of chief operating officer.

With extensive experience spanning nearly two decades in the META region, Arbad brings a combination of sales prowess, operational excellence, financial leadership and global go-to-

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WE DISRUPTED THE MARKET 15 YEARS AGO

BY PIONEERING BEST-IN-CLASS VALUE ADDED DISTRIBUTION. IT’S A TREMENDOUS PLEASURE TO JOIN STARLINK’S TEAM, AND I AM INCREDIBLY ENERGISED TO HELP LEAD THE COMPANY TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN ITS GLOBAL DOMINANCE TIED WITH OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.”

market expertise, according to the firm.

As COO, Arbad will lead channel, customer success, operations and direct the company’s finance and administrative functions.

“StarLink is experiencing accelerated growth with the success of its unbeatable strategy. We disrupted the market 15 years ago by pioneering best-in-class value added distribution. It’s a tremendous pleasure to join StarLink’s team, and I am incredibly energised to help lead the company to the next level in its global dominance tied with operational excellence,” said Arbad.

Prior to joining StarLink, Arbad held various positions at Cisco and HP, starting with a successful career in finance and operations.

Post which he progressed into a sales career as general manager for Cisco Kuwait, then as a regional channel head for Gulf and Levant.

Most recently, Arbad has been the regional sales head and general manager for one of the niche cybersecurity VADs in MEA. Nidal Othman, managing director, StarLink, said, “We welcome Arbad to the StarLink executive team and are excited to have a steady hand at the operational helm as we move forward with major sales growth and global expansion plans.

Under his able guidance, we look forward to make significant advancement in operational excellence.”

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FEATURE

IS AUTOMATION THE FUTURE OF SECURITY? CYBER THREATS ARE CONTINUOUSLY ON THE RISE IN TERMS OF NUMBER AND SOPHISTICATION MAKING THE FUTURE OF CYBERSECURITY LOOK MORE COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING. INDUSTRY EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON HOW SECURITY AUTOMATION CAN CHANGE THE GAME.

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mong the biggest problems cybersecurity professionals are facing today is the deluge of threat data that security systems need to detect and identify.

Cybercriminals are becoming savvier and their attacks are growing in sophistication and increasing faster than companies can keep up. It’s no secret that security teams today are overwhelmed. There simply aren’t enough time and people to manually examine each problem, resulting in severe backlogs and delayed resolution.

This puts immense pressure on CISOs across market sectors to develop better strategies and find innovative solutions to fill the gaps.

By 2021, fighting cybercrime will cost global businesses more than $6 trillion annually, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. With so much at stake, organisations can no longer afford to lose against the bad guys.

Automation promises to ease numerous business functions and security is no different.

Security automation can enable companies to investigate incoming threats and respond to them immediately, without human intervention such as labour-intensive types of attacks. This will then free up security teams to focus on remediating more complex types of attacks.

Security Advisor ME spoke to industry experts to get their insights on how automation can enable security.

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FROM THE EXPERTS:

Scott Manson, managing director, Middle East and Turkey, McAfee Automation is key to keep up with the relentless attackers. As they evolve their methods, we have to do the same to stay one step ahead. The key benefits of automation are being seen today in the shape of a supportive function to human skill and effort. With machine learning and automated responses, we can go a long way to plug the obvious holes we have in the number of skills available to address cybersecurity. This will allow our finite resources to work on more value-added tasks in addressing companies cybersecurity posture, and leave those tasks that can be automated to the machines and the software.

Automation is only successful if process and policy are correctly locked and loaded into the daily working cadence of an enterprise. This is the main challenge for companies today: to fix policy, whether legislative or internal, so that they can build their automation capabilities to deliver the correct output.

Addressing the skills gap is another benefit that security automation can bring. Many industry experts predicted security automation would continue to be a top cybersecurity trend for 2019, as it was in 2018. The demand is absolutely related to the ongoing shortage of

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skilled cyber professionals. Everyone needs to look at new ways to optimize their security resources, and automation is a key player in this.

Due to the deluge of data, there are simply not enough people to manually examine each problem. So a focus on security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR) tools are a perfect solution to address this. Automation technologies consolidate data, analyse information from traditional security information and event management (SIEM) sources, and automate the relevant responses, ultimately reducing the mean time to detect and mean time to remediate and correct a problem.

Abdulrahman Alshetwey, CEO, Innovative Solutions It is estimated by ISC2 that 3 million cybersecurity positions will go unfilled. This puts a lot of pressure on organizations to find qualified resources to run their security programs and work hard enough to retain them. Automation will help in addressing this issue to some extent, maybe at the repetitive tasks rather, however, the calibre to run such a complex environment will require a different set of skills and capabilities.

Despite AI, machine learning and analytics technologies’ capabilities to ease problems brought by the human error, false positives remain a big issue in the cybersecurity field. There will always be a “noise” in the vast pile of data. One area where automation can significantly improve is the Threat Intel feed.

Another area that can have simple automation and integration and yet can lead to a profound result is

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information coming at the improvement them which they must of employees’ sift through, looking awareness. When for relevant events an employee fell that could indicate for a phishing that there’s been email, he/she a breach or can be directed COST OF FIGHTING that a malicious to an awareness CYBERCRIME ANNUALLY BY actor is at work. session.

2021 The promise of However, there’s automation is that the still a number of volume of events can be aspects that should reduced by using ML combined be improved. Automation with a little AI to do the filtering for in cybersecurity requires data you. The automation continues looking enrichment and collaboration. I believe for patterns and learning from operator multiple stakeholders need to cooperate feedback until the point where your team to ensure threat data can be useful is only being troubled by things that need and readily available as time is an human intervention. important dimension. Another facet that This aids in preventing our needs to be enhanced is investments cybersecurity teams from being fullaround software development. There time firefighters and gives them time to is an opportunity for cybersecurity plan and strategise more effectively and professionals to learn new technologies more frequently. Effective automation and write codes that can be useful in will help them gain a better insight into automating tasks such as bug finding, the gaps in the systems by both, giving vulnerability management and so on. time for investigation and evaluation and enabling them to see points of breach more clearly.

However, while technologies are evolving at a significant pace, so are the potential threats. The ability to attack tools to adopt much slower but more targeted attacks allows them Brian Chappell, senior director, to drop into the background noise of Enterprise and Solution Architecture, the environment making them even BeyondTrust harder to detect. Like so much of Cybersecurity automation is one of the cybersecurity world, it’s an arms those nebulous terms that have yet race and we may not be ahead. By to find a consistent definition. But maintaining a sensible perspective when there is a core that is common across implementing cybersecurity automation most references to it, and that is the tools, and being realistic about the use of technology to help review/ expected impact, it’s possible to initially assess/categorise/filter incoming make small gains that will grow with security events to reduce the volume time. Therefore, automation should of noise that confronts cybersecurity be a part of a long-term strategy. It’s professionals daily. also sensible to look for more than one For many, opening their systems automation tool to ensure that there’s at in the morning reveals a tsunami of least a contingency plan in place.

$6 TRILLION

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COVER FEATURE

BREACHED OR NOT BREACHED? AS CYBERCRIMINALS BECOME SMARTER AND CYBER-ATTACKS GROW IN SOPHISTICATION, THE GULF REGION IS INCREASINGLY BECOMING AN ATTRACTIVE TARGET TO CYBERCRIMINALS. HANI NOFAL, VICE PRESIDENT, INTELLIGENT NETWORK SOLUTIONS, SECURITY AND MOBILITY, GULF BUSINESS MACHINES, SHARES TOP INSIGHTS ON HOW ORGANISATIONS CAN NAVIGATE THE REGIONAL THREAT LANDSCAPE.

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ith ever-growing emphasis on the importance of achieving economic diversification and reducing dependency on oil revenues, digitisation is high on the agenda of governments in the Gulf region.

The accelerated pace of digital transformation in the region has pushed organisations to invest significantly in advanced technologies such as cloud, mobile and Internet of Things. Those that fail to invest risk getting left behind.

However, as Gulf states progress in their ambitious digitalisation goals, they also become hot targets for cyber threats.

High-profile cyber incidents that made headlines over the past few years, including major data breaches such as those experienced by British Airways, Facebook, Starwood Hotels and Careem have kept the security teams across the world on their toes.

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“Cybercrime ranks second among the Top 10 risks in the global economy today and the Gulf region is no different in terms of vulnerability and security incidents,” says Hani Nofal, vice president, Intelligent Network Solutions, Security and Mobility, Gulf Business Machines. “In fact, our latest findings have shown that security incidents faced by the Gulf have risen from 28 percent to 41 percent over the past few years.

This suggests a significant surge in the activities within the threat landscape.”

As organisations increase their digital footprints and more businesses go online to deliver digital services we can expect this trend to continue.

However, it is encouraging to note that as the rise in threat continues, the level of maturity among organisations when it comes to cybersecurity is also significantly improving, says Nofal.

“Over the past few years, security has transformed to be a boardroom discussion rather than an isolated IT department issue among Gulf

organisations. Our recent study has revealed that 79 percent of organisations said their company currently has a security strategy programme in place.

Whether it’s effective or not, that’s another question, but at least more organisations are heading in the right direction.”

This significant progress in the mindset of organisations was also driven by increased regulations in the market, according to Nofal. “The implementation of GDPR in Europe last year has pushed many regional enterprises, to re-think how they are dealing with some of the security and privacy issues.”

Although we have seen a move towards greater protection from cyber risks, there’s still more that needs to be done.

Companies today must understand that preparation against a security breach should not be purely focused on defensive tactics, but rather it is important to invest in resources that facilitate detection and response.

According to GBM’s latest study, 69

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“WE HAVE TO RECOGNISE THAT A CYBER BREACH IS NOT A MATTER OF ‘IF,’ BUT ‘WHEN’.”

percent of Gulf companies consider preventing attacks as their top security concern while only 31 percent of Gulf organisations have detection and response as their key priority in their cybersecurity strategy.

“We have to recognise that a cyber breach is not a matter of ‘if,’ but ‘when’,” says Nofal.

“But enterprises should also understand that there is no ‘one-sizefits-all’ when it comes to security,” he explains. “Every organisation is different and the assets within them are different. Therefore, a vital step that organisations need to take is to be prepared for what’s coming.”

According to Nofal, shifting the focus and investments from

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COVER FEATURE

ONLY

31%

conventional reactive cybersecurity methods of OF GULF ORGANISATIONS HAVE prevention to DETECTION AND RESPONSE AS THEIR KEY proactive detection PRIORITY IN THEIR CYBERSECURITY and response is key STRATEGY to ensuring effective security.

“Simply installing firewalls and anti-virus software are no longer enough to defend against cyber-attacks,” he explains. “Now the game has changed.

If an organisation’s security practice is too focused on how to prevent attacks, it will be vastly outgunned and unprepared for the damage that an inevitable breach will cause. There’s an opportunity within the early stages of a breach for the security teams to detect, gain intelligence, analyse and stop the cyberattack. In addition, they can use such intelligence to familiarise themselves with the type of attack so they can be better prepared for the future.”

As the threat landscape grow to become more sophisticated than ever, prevention alone is no longer viable as the sole security strategy. However, this does not mean that prevention is unimportant, it simply reiterates the need to transform security strategies into one that strikes a balance between prevention and better detection and response. A shift that is slowly but as well,” says Nofal, “not only in the surely taking place in enterprises mindset but also in investments.” across the globe. In fact, recent figures “Despite this transformation, a vast from Gartner highlighted that security majority of regional firms are lagging spending is expected to reach $113 behind and we still have a big room for billion by 2020, with a big chunk of improvement. But I think it’s something investments focused on enhancing that will improve in the next few years,” detection and response capabilities. he explains.

“We are definitely seeing this Another vital element for an effective important shift happening in the region security scheme that organisations

“WE ALWAYS SAY THAT YOU CANNOT PROTECT WHAT YOU DON’T SEE.”

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need to keep in mind is visibility. “We always say that you cannot protect what you don’t see. Unfortunately, one of the main challenges in an increasingly digitised world is we end up creating a lot of systems that work in silos,” says Nofal. “The lack of integration among enterprise systems creates numerous cracks that threat actors can exploit.”

Nofal says is this where GBM’s role becomes crucial. “As a trusted security solutions provider in the region, we ensure that we bring in the latest solutions from all the vendors and we create a fabric that will provide organisations with a holistic security strategy.”

To facilitate enhanced visibility in the face of growing numbers of sophisticated

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“IT’S IMPORTANT TO PARTNER WITH THE RIGHT PROVIDER THAT WILL ACT AS A TRUSTED ADVISOR, GUIDE YOU ON HOW YOU CAN PRIORITISE YOUR SECURITY OBJECTIVES AND HELP YOU MEET THOSE GOALS.”

79%

OF ORGANISATIONS SAID THEIR COMPANY CURRENTLY HAS A SECURITY STRATEGY PROGRAMME IN PLACE

cyber threats, a unified security operations centre (SOC) is emerging as a vital asset in defending enterprises.

“SOC combines the technology and human and makes it a perfect solution for those who are not comfortable putting their entire security practices in the hands of machine learning or those who are concerned about human error,” he explains. “GBM can help you design, build and run an SOC that protects critical data, reduces risk, provides deep security insight and enhances governance.”

Looking forward, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will disrupt industries and cybersecurity is no exception, according to Nofal. “A majority

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of organisations in UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait want to leverage AI to enhance their cyber defence.”

What’s more, is that the rise of AI and ML is expected to provide SOCs with a new breed of services that will complement the human capital. “We need to take advantage of the technology available to further strengthen our defences against a cyber-attack,” says Nofal.

Ultimately, no matter how much effort and resources organisations invest in cybersecurity, there is no guarantee of 100 percent protection.

Partnering with a systems integrator like GBM can yield many benefits for organisations. “It’s important to partner with the right provider that will act as a trusted advisor, guide you on how you

can prioritise your security objectives and help you meet those goals.”

Moving forward, GBM aims to continue working closely with its partners and customers in developing key solutions that will enable organisations to become cyber resilient. Over the past few years, the company has been focusing on designing and building innovative security solutions and it will further reinforce its attention in these areas over the coming months. Furthermore, it seeks to strengthen its operations and management offerings. “Taking this commitment at the core of our operations, along with the support of our key strategic partners, has enabled us to reach a certain level of maturity and business volume that will allow us to secure our customers on their digital journey,” says Nofal.

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FEATURE

NAVIGATING THE TALENT CRUNCH THE SKILLS SHORTAGE IS INCREASINGLY BECOMING SEVERE WITH INDUSTRY REPORTS NOTING THAT THERE WILL BE A GLOBAL SHORTAGE OF 2 MILLION CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT DANIEL BARDSLEY SPEAKS TO INDUSTRY EXPERTS TO DISCUSS HOW ORGANISATIONS CAN OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES.

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ith the march of digitisation showing no signs of slowing, and with the threat landscape expanding, it is no surprise that demand for people with cybersecurity skills seems to be heavily outstripping supply.

As Dr Ian Batten, the programme director for a master’s degree in cybersecurity at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom puts it, “The cybersecurity landscape is currently so hot.”

For people making career decisions, the appeal of cybersecurity is obvious, because anyone with the right skills is not likely to be left on the shelf for long.

According to one forecast, the sector will have as many as 3.5 million unfilled positions worldwide in just a couple of years’ time.

While this is ideal for job-seekers, it is a less welcome scenario for the companies and other organisations that are looking to safeguard their digital assets.

Smaller enterprises in particular are often unable to match the salaries and opportunities on offer at bigger organisations and, as a result, have been described as facing particular recruitment problems.

“It is extremely difficult for small enterprises to keep up with the ever-

evolving and sophisticated threat landscape in the Middle East,” says Scott Manson, managing director, Middle East and Turkey, McAfee.

“This is because maintaining a strong cyber posture requires significant investment in personnel, technology, policies and processes – levels of investment that most small enterprises cannot afford.

“The number of companies that report problematic shortages in the cybersecurity skills of their staff has increased steadily over the past several years. In fact, according to one estimate, since 2014 the problem of shortage of skills has doubled globally.”

In a climate where demand for staff remains extremely high, small businesses are advised to seek outside assistance and not just to rely solely on in-house cybersecurity expertise.

“To mitigate risk, I would suggest that these enterprises employ utility-based solutions or managed services, which will allow them to benefit from economies of scale model, as the cost is shared across many multi-tenants (companies) on a service platform,” says Manson.

It is not only people whose skills are primarily technical who are in demand: the growth of the cybersecurity sector is also increasing the need for other types of experts.

Dr Richard Overill, a senior lecturer in computer science at King’s College London, says there is a need for people with “softer, human-facing skills”.

Scott Manson, McAfee

“MAINTAINING A STRONG CYBER POSTURE REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN PERSONNEL, TECHNOLOGY, POLICIES AND PROCESSES – LEVELS OF INVESTMENT THAT MOST SMALL ENTERPRISES CANNOT AFFORD.” www.tahawultech.com

Individuals with a background in psychology may find opportunities here.

“A lot of cybercrime is through the weakest link, which is often the human,” says Overill, who is the admissions tutor for a cybersecurity master’s degree that has attracted students from the UAE. “People who want to do that kind of work in cybersecurity don’t have a strong technical background, but they’re good at understanding people and how people react.”

Another facet of cybersecurity that may appeal to those who are not technical specialists is, says Overill, security policy.

“This is an area where you don’t need technical specialists but people who have an idea about creating policies that can work in a real situation,” he says.

Other non-technical gaps that need filling cover governance, legal issues and regulation within large corporate organisations.

For technical roles, there has been debate over when is the best time to specialise in cybersecurity. Some argue that, rather than taking an undergraduate degree in cybersecurity, bachelor’s degree students are better off enrolling on a broader computer science course with some security elements.

Then, once they graduate, they have the option of going straight into industry or taking a specialised cybersecurity course, ideally one that offers a broad base of skills and is not too vendorspecific in the training it offers.

Some postgraduate cybersecurity courses may even be open to people with just a limited technical background, being seen as “conversion courses” for those who are changing career.

It is perhaps no surprise, then, that as many as three in ten cybersecurity specialists have a background outside IT at all.

Just as cybersecurity needs to bring in people with varied educational

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backgrounds, so experts are keen for more to be done to encourage women to choose it as a career. Only about one in seven people working in cybersecurity is female, so ensuring that more women see it as an area to go into could do much to alleviate skills shortages.

While cybersecurity’s undoubted status as a “happening” discipline will help to attract people into the industry.

Batten at the University of Birmingham, an institution that also has a campus in Dubai, describes it as being “a real area to go into”.

However, it is by no means the only field in computer science that has a buzz about it and Batten says there are multiple competing areas.

Other key sectors include artificial intelligence, which arguably outranks cybersecurity when it comes to popular appeal. Data science, robotics and

what Batten describes as “the lure of the finance sector” are all likely to be attracting many computer science graduates who might otherwise be looking for opportunities in cybersecurity.

So, luring in more capable professionals will not be straightforward.

But not everyone agrees with the prediction that the requirement for cybersecurity professionals will continue on a never-ending upward trajectory.

Batten for one remains to be convinced, saying that forecasts of spiralling demand are “very much overstated”.

He forecasts, instead, that the requirement will shift from specialised cybersecurity activity to ensuring that software is more robust in the first place.

“Computer security is often about patching up problems caused by poor computer science or bad software engineering,” says Batten, who works

Dr Richard Overill, King College London

“THERE IS A NEED FOR PEOPLE WITH ‘SOFTER, HUMAN-FACING SKILLS’.”

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as a lecturer and is a member of his university’s Security and Privacy Research Group.

“An awful lot of software has been put out there that was never intended to be exposed to as wide an audience as the internet and that’s simply not robust.

“Once you have the correct software to start with, you don’t need to have as m any people standing around it with the metaphorical shotgun keeping the bad guys out. The need for dedicated security people to look after it will reduce.”

Another factor that could cause the skills shortages to become less acute is better use of technologies such as AI and machine learning, as these can help to filter the vast number of potential threats, cutting the amounts that have to be dealt with manually by employees.

If this is how things play out, HR managers struggling to recruit cybersecurity specialists to protect the IT assets of their employer will be breathing a sigh of relief.

But, for the moment at least, demand seems set to continue to outstrip supply, so men and women with the requisite skills will be in the enviable position of having a clutch of opportunities to choose from in this most “hot” of industries.

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FEATURE

HOW AUTISM COULD HELP BRIDGE THE CYBERSECURITY SKILLS GAP BY: DANIEL BARDSLEY

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etting into the mind of people today is no easy task, so understanding what made particular individuals from previous eras tick must be next to impossible.

Yet that is just what researchers have done in recent years with some of the most eminent scientists from the past.

The most renowned physicists of all time are arguably Sir Isaac Newton, who formulated the laws of motion and gravity, and Albert Einstein, who developed these ideas into the theory of relativity.

These two men differed in numerous ways, such as in their nationality and views on religion, and they lived more than a century apart.

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FEATURE

Perhaps more interestingly, however, they also had some key traits in common, aside from the fact that they were gifted researchers destined for starring roles in the scientific pantheon.

Reading through their biographical details, researchers have noted that they had difficulty in forming social relationships and displayed an almost obsessive interest in particular subjects.

As a result, it has been hypothesised that both men had Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism.

On a similar theme, an association between autism and an ability and interest in IT is well recognised today.

Auticon, a company that employs more than 150 people in Europe and the United States as IT specialists, has said that “intense interests in the areas of IT, physics, mathematics and technology are prevalent in the autism community”.

Tying in with this, research from 2015 suggests that people who work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics are more likely to score highly for autistic traits.

With cybersecurity facing a growing skills shortage, with as many as 3.5 million roles forecast to be unfilled by 2021, the part that autistic people could play in the industry is coming under the spotlight.

Worldwide there are many millions of people on the autism spectrum, with recent research indicating that the overall prevalence is just over one percent of the total population. Figures vary significantly between studies, however, and a 2017 scientific paper suggested that the prevalence in the UAE was just below 0.7 percent. About three-quarters of people on the autism spectrum are male.

Dr Sebastian Gaigg, City, University of London

“THE SENSORY SYSTEM OF AN AUTISTIC PERSON FILTERS INFORMATION LESS OR DIFFERENTLY. THEY HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF NOTICING THINGS OTHERS MIGHT IGNORE.” 20

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Whatever the exact numbers, academics say that autistic people have particular talents that can be useful.

Dr Sebastian Gaigg, a senior lecturer in psychology at City, University of London, says that early descriptions of autism, back in the 1940s, spoke of the way that children with the condition noticed details of their environment, such as a hair on the carpet or a pattern on the wall, that others might miss.

This can lead to sensory overload and make the world feel overwhelming, resulting in stress and anxiety. But it may offer benefits when it comes to working in fields such as cybersecurity.

“The sensory system of an autistic person filters information less or differently. They have the advantage of noticing things others might ignore,” says Gaigg, whose research covers areas such as memory and mental health of people with autism.

He says that there is emerging evidence that many people with autism have “a different type of intelligence”.

“They see the world differently and are often not burdened by the same preconceptions that bias how we might see the world,” he says.

“There’s some evidence that they see the world in a more direct and more sensory-

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Professor Dermot Bowler, City, University of London

“PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ARE ATTRACTED TO FIELDS WHERE THERE’S REASONABLE PREDICTABILITY IN THE SYSTEMS.” driven way. Things that we miss because our sensory systems filter them out or things that we might consider irrelevant to our current goals, autistic people might spot and experience as very salient.

“That has advantages when it comes to looking at data for connections, or spotting details in data, and for logical problem solving.”

Although the terms are not universally accepted, some researchers describe autistic people as being “systemisers” rather than “empathisers”.

By talking of the benefits of “neurodiversity”, advocacy groups are trying to encourage employers to take on autistic people in cybersecurity roles.

The Cyber Neurodiversity Group, a UK organisation that promotes the employment of autistic people in cybersecurity, has said that autism is associated with a number of positive traits, among them cognitive pattern recognition, attention to detail, and a logical and methodical character.

While filling key skills gaps, employers can benefit, the group has said, from a “diverse and stronger workforce” with better productivity and a reputational payoff.

A number of people linked to cyberhacking in recent years have been on the autism spectrum. Among them is Lauri Love, a Briton who, on appeal last year, narrowly avoided being extradited to the United States after being accused of breaching US Central Bank, FBI and NASA computer systems.

Far better, people have said, that the talents of people such as Love are channelled in a positive direction.

While the link between autism and high-level abilities in IT, including

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cybersecurity, has been much discussed, the association should not be seen as applying to all. Not everyone who is good at IT is on the autism spectrum, and not every autistic person is an IT enthusiast.

The National Autistic Society in the United Kingdom described there as being “a lingering misconception that autistic people only want to work in technical or solitary roles”.

“A recent National Autistic Society survey indicates that autistic people have varied career aspirations, with arts and creative industries about as popular as IT among respondents,” says the organisation in a statement.

Although not applying to everyone on the autism spectrum, the association with technology-based fields, such as IT, is relatively well established.

Another City, University of London academic who researches autism is Professor Dermot Bowler, a professor of psychology whose key interests include memory in people with autism. He says that these people are attracted to fields “where there’s reasonable predictability in the systems”.

“So mechanical engineering, computer science are quite attractive for them, whereas the arts and humanities, which are more open and unpredictable, are more problematic. That’s a generalisation, but it’s reasonably true,” he says.

“Most of us don’t have quite the preference for the kinds of closed systems encountered in the science field, so most of us don’t work in that area; maybe there’s a bit of difficulty for us. A person with autism has less difficulty in that area.”

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f employers take on people with autism in cybersecurity roles, they should ensure that the workplace is suitable for their particular needs, specialists say.

Professor Dermot Bowler of City, University of London, highlights the importance of trying to avoid putting autistic employees into situations that would create stress or anxiety.

“They find the unpredictability of social situations can be quite distressing, and open-ended situations, where they have to engage in idle chit-chat, [can be difficult] because they never know what to say next, because there’s no prescribed rule. You should minimise their exposure to ambiguous situations,” he says.

People with autism sometimes like to pursue particular interests, and this is something that Bowler says people should be aware of.

“Sometimes pursuing these can get in the way of other things,” he says.

It is important, says Bowler, to teach autistic people to manage their interests. This may involve finding ways for them to satisfy their interests without there being a negative impact on their performance at work.

If managing the way that they pursue their interests makes the autistic person anxious, Bowler says employers should “keep their anxiety to a minimum” and ensure that it does not affect productivity.

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INTERVIEW

SAFE SPACE

SMART CITIES AND THE TECHNOLOGIES WITHIN THEM WILL BRING A PLETHORA OF BENEFITS AND TRANSFORM THE WAY WE LIVE AND WORK. HOWEVER, IT CAN BE A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, AS WITH THE BENEFITS COME A SERIES OF SECURITY RISKS. GENETEC REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR META FIRAS JADALLA DISCUSSES HOW THE COMPANY CAN MAKE SMART CITIES SAFE.

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ow have the perimeter and physical security space evolved over the last few years?

Today, we are seeing more and more companies shifting from traditional hardware physical solutions to those that have data analytics capabilities. Customer demands have transformed from simply using cameras for basic surveillance functions such as viewing and recording to adopting systems that can deliver more actionable data. There is also a strong demand for security solutions that can enable a variety of comprehensive access control capabilities.

What are the different technologies disrupting this area of security?

Over the past two decades cameras have mainly been used for getting the video feeds for security purposes. Today, there are plenty of applications that utilise artificial intelligence and video analytics to drive insight from those cameras to enhance functions that go beyond security such as operational efficiency. For example, cameras deployed at airports are also being used to predict queue-times at key airport checkpoints. Video feeds from these security cameras are utilised to manage passenger flow, this also applies to retail stores and shopping malls, where we’re able to tell the conversion ratio, number of visitors to the store. In addition, based on the data derived from these cameras organisations will be able to conduct

“THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE DERIVING VALUE FROM THE VAST AMOUNT OF DATA GENERATED BY MULTIPLE SENSORS AND TECHNOLOGIES WITHIN SMART CITIES.” marketing and operational analysis to gain insights for future strategies.

With Dubai actively moving forward with its Smart City goals, what do you think are the security challenges regional firms will face as the nation achieves this objective?

Security cameras are an integral part of smart cities. These technologies are expected to not only provide security footage but also to deliver analytics capabilities to enable both private and public sectors to deliver safe, secure and sustainable cities by reducing the crime rate, optimising pedestrian and vehicle traffic flow, monitoring these trends over time, and enabling proactive response with real-time alerting.

What do you think will be the biggest challenge smart cities will face?

The biggest challenge will be deriving value from the vast amount of data generated by multiple sensors and technologies within smart cities. A smart city will be largely dependent on how well organisations can analyse and effectively share these insights. This is because sharing this information in real time is

“WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY INNOVATING. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OFF-THE-SHELF SOLUTIONS AND PROVIDE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE TAILORED FOR EACH SOLUTION THAT WE HAVE.” www.tahawultech.com

vital for enabling organisations to develop solutions that will support the “smart” capabilities of a city and its infrastructure.

What can the market expect from Genetec this year?

We are continuously innovating. We will continue to develop off-the-shelf solutions and provide applications that are tailored for each solution that we have. Our customers can expect us to improve our specialisations across various industry verticals, so we can deliver insights that are relevant to their business. We have tailored solutions for sectors such as public safety, transport and retail among others. For example, we have Citigraf, an application for public security; we also have TrafficSense, which is an application for traffic management and monitoring; and we also have Clearance, which is a digital evidence management system aimed at assisting law enforcement.

Where do you see the security landscape heading this year?

I think one of the hottest topics this year is cybersecurity and we are witnessing a significant increase in cyber-attacks all over the world. Genetec is committed to providing organisations today with the tools they need to combat these threats.

Now more than ever, it’s imperative for any business leader to keep cybersecurity at the top of their agenda and ensure that they have the right physical security solutions in place.

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INTERVIEW

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

WESTCON-COMSTOR GROUP MD STEVE LOCKIE AND WESTCON SECURITY DIRECTOR IAN JONES SAT DOWN WITH SECURITY ADVISOR ME TO DISCUSS WHY CONTINUOUS EDUCATION IS VITAL FOR STAYING AHEAD OF THE “BAD GUYS” AND THE COMPANY’S ROLE IN KEEPING REGIONAL FIRMS CYBER RESILIENT.

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an you give an overview of some of the highlights of the company over the last year?

Steve Lockie (SL): A major highlight for us during the past year was the establishment of our branch operations in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.

As part of that move, we have onboarded people on-the-ground to look after our key clients in those markets.

Another big win for us was the successful EDI integration with some of our larger partners in Europe.

Finally, another key achievement we had was the roll out of our partner self-service portal. Built on an SAP platform, PartnerView offers our partners a wealth of functionalities and information that makes it easier and quicker to do business with us. Through the portal they can request, manage and revise quotes, convert quotes into orders, check order status and history, track orders, request RMAs and much more. Moving forward, as renewals are becoming a bigger part of the business, we aim to integrate our Renew View initiative into the platform. Renew View is a renewal’s management tool where we can auto quote partners for their annuities business.

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Steve Lockie

“WEHAVEAHIGHLYDEDICATED TEAMTHATALWAYSGOABOVE ANDBEYONDTOENSURE THATWERESPONDTO OURPARTNERS’AND CUSTOMERS’NEEDS WHENEVEROR WHEREVERIT MIGHTBE.” What do you think differentiates WestconComstor as a security distributor in the region?

SL: Firstly, I think we’ve got the best portfolio of products and solutions that covers a broad spectrum of the various threat vectors that organisations face today.

Another key differentiator is the quality of the relationship that we have with our vendors.

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As a value-added distributor, we ensure that our objectives are aligned with our vendors’. We make sure that when we commit to a market development plan for them, we see it through and through and the vendors respect that. In that way, we create a strong and intimate relationship with them.

Finally, and most importantly, is our people. We have a highly dedicated team that always go above and beyond to ensure that we respond to our partners’ and customers’ needs whenever or wherever it might be.

What do you think will be the biggest security challenge organisations will face this year?

Ian Jones (IJ): We’re going to keep

seeing increased cyber-attacks. The level and the sophistication of the attacks now, especially spear phishing, has seen the biggest spike in the last year. Therefore, the lack of education and investments on solutions that will keep them secure will cause big challenges for organisations.

Also, increased investments in technologies such as artificial intelligence will create more complex attack vectors and securing those vulnerabilities will definitely be taxing.

What do you think is lacking in the industry that’s causing gaps in cybersecurity awareness?

SL: Over the last five to 10 years in Europe, legislation and accounting practices have led people to include security in their agenda. The Middle East has lagged massively on that aspect and Ian Jones

“THE THREAT LANDSCAPE IS CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING AND THAT’S WHY LEARNING SHOULD ALSO BE A CONSTANT PROCESS.” that makes the market rife for cyber-attacks.

There’s also a gap in terms of educating people on cybersecurity.

Last year, phishing threats have increased significantly, which shows how vulnerable end-users are. That’s why we give focus on supporting our customers and ensuring that every member of their organisation are

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knowledgeable on how they can stay secure for these attacks.

IJ: Education and accountability are what’s lacking among organisations.

Security should be a responsibility that’s shared by everyone within the company from top to bottom. I think if a certain level of accountability has been instigated within the workplace – if you click on the wrong link and cause financial losses then you’re accountable – that will send a strong message within the firm to take security seriously.

As a distributor what kind of role can you play in terms of helping organisation address this issue?

IJ: We are big advocates of constant education. We are committed to transferring knowledge and sharing our expertise to our partners and customers and bringing them up to speed to stay ahead of the bad guys. The threat landscape is continuously changing and that’s why learning should also be a constant process.

What can the market expect from Westcon-Comstor this year?

IJ: We aim to continue growing and enhancing our partner base. However, as a VAD, we don’t simply want to bring the biggest vendors into our portfolio. Our goal is to onboard partners that complement instead of compete with each other. This enables us to provide a holistic offering to our regional customers.

SL: We have always prided ourselves in having an intimate partnership with our vendors and resellers and this has enabled us to grow remarkably.

Our current partners and even some potential ones are recognising how we can add value to their business and how our distribution strategies can benefit them. So, we plan to keep on building on those strengths and maximising those opportunities.

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FEATURE

DEFENDING DIGITAL NATIONS WITH RECENT HIGH PROFILE ATTACKS AGAINST STATE AGENCIES AND EVEN ENTIRE MUNICIPALITIES, IT’S CLEAR THAT CYBERCRIMINALS SEE THEM AS LUCRATIVE TARGETS. HOW CAN MIDDLE EAST GOVERNMENTS STAY SECURE WHILE MEETING THE DEMANDS OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION?

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he UAE authorities have made it abundantly clear that cybersecurity is one of their top priorities.

Illustrating the importance that they give to the issue, in late 2017 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, unveiled the Dubai Cyber Security Strategy, a plan that aims to reduce the dangers linked to cyberspace, while also supporting innovation.

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Among other things, the initiative looks to foster international collaboration in cybersecurity, to ensure that IT systems in the emirate are resilient in the event of a cyber-attack, and to help establish “a free, fair and secure cyber space”.

While governments, like those in Dubai, work hard to promote security in cyberspace as a whole, they also face myriad challenges when it comes to protecting their own digital assets.

Governments in the Middle East are, says Myke Lyons, head of security strategy in the secure business unit of ServiceNow, a US-headquartered cloud computing company, putting their own

cybersecurity needs high up the agenda.

“It’s amazing how quickly the Middle East is looking at new and upcoming things to enhance the government side,” he says, adding that, similarly, the private sector has been taking on board new technologies for dealing with customers.

“It’s been encouraging to see how that’s growing so quickly,” he says.

Some difficulties that governments must overcome to secure their cyber assets are the same as those that private enterprises have to deal with. Others tend to be specific to governments.

One reason why governments face particular cybersecurity concerns is, as

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Myke Lyons, ServiceNow

“THERE’S A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY TO FIND VULNERABILITIES [IN], BUT LIMITED TECHNOLOGY TO REMEDIATE THEM.”

Lyons puts it, because they have “a long technology history”.

“They tend to support a lot of legacy systems that may not have the same security specification that some of the newer things have. That’s a burden they have to live with,” he says.

Lyons says that government agencies that he has worked with are sometimes “struggling massively with vulnerabilities”.

“With these governments we’ve seen, they just have so many systems out there. They have a goal to comprehensively scan these systems and find problems. There’s a lot of technology to find vulnerabilities [in], but

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limited technology to remediate them,” he says.

“One of the recurring themes is that there’s a system out there that maybe has been forgotten about and they’re afraid to look at it.”

Liaison between large government departments can also be a problem.

In the United States, for example, the Washington Post recently reported concerns from legislators about the lack of a central authority to co-ordinate cybersecurity issues affecting, for example, the Department of Defense (which runs military cybersecurity) and the Department of Homeland Security (which is responsible for civilian cybersecurity).

Another issue governments have to deal with is in recruitment: it may be harder for them to attract high-quality cybersecurity staff than it is for large private-sector enterprises.

Government departments with major procurement activities, notably defence ministries, have particular hurdles to overcome, since they have to vet the cybersecurity credentials of their many suppliers.

It can be a truly daunting prospect, so much so that private-sector organisations may be brought in to assess the cyber vulnerabilities of the hundreds of “second-tier” and “third-tier” suppliers that work with government departments.

Implementing Cybersecurity in DoD [United States Department of Defense] Supply Chains, a 2018 report produced by a trade association in the United States called the National Defense

Industrial Association (NDIA) states that “supply chain cybersecurity is critical, but … the weakest link is the small to medium-sized firm found in the upstream supply chain”.

The DoD recently introduced extra requirements (the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement) “aimed at ensuring appropriate levels of cybersecurity in any supplier involved in the DoD supply chain”. The NDIA report notes that there had been “resistance” to this requirement.

Threats do not, of course, just come from outside an organisation. The 2013 leak of documents from the United States National Security Agency by Edward Snowden was a classic example of an “insider threat”, in which an employee or contractor leaks material to which they had privileged access.

“Insider threat is something that you really need to answer and have a good programme in place for,” says Lyons.

Illustrating the scale of the overall cybersecurity challenges that a government might face, reports from 2018 indicated that, of more than 3,000 cybersecurity recommendations made by the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) since 2010, 1,000 had not been implemented and, of 35 “priority recommendations”, just 31 had been dealt with.

The GAO had a string of broad cybersecurity themes for the US federal government to deal with.

According to media reports, the GAO asked for, among other things, a more comprehensive overall cybersecurity

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FEATURE

strategy, improvements in the cybersecurity qualifications of staff and better plans to deal with cyber incidents.

One reason why government cybersecurity is becoming ever more important is the growth in online services provided by central and local authorities.

“The threat remains high for online government services, and the antidote to this is to invest in cyber awareness, the formulation of a cyber strategy, a robust security framework and processes, and common policies,” says Scott Manson, the Dubai-based managing director Middle East and Turkey for the cybersecurity company McAfee.

He says that threat actors can use a combination of malicious software and ransomware to disrupt government cyber infrastructure and online services.

“This can range from taking a website offline to manipulating industrial command and control systems in operational technology environments,” he says.

Another key asset that governments across the globe have to secure is “cyber-critical” infrastructure.

Key among them are utilities and telecommunications infrastructure.

Professor Siraj Shaikh, a cybersecurity specialist at Coventry University in the United Kingdom, says that concerns over key infrastructure show how cybersecurity responsibility of governments extends beyond “espionage and insider threats”.

“[Governments] are increasingly concerned about the risk to the wider public in the sense of infrastructure, in the sense of disruption to everyday life or in the risk to public life,” says Shaikh.

Modern connected transport infrastructure is one government priority that Shaikh highlights. It is an area that his research group has been looking at.

“One scenario is the level of disruption that affects vehicles on the road. That could mean accidents and loss of life,” he says.

“Governments have to be concerned about that as much as they have to be concerned about national security and critical infrastructure – nuclear power and wider power insider threats and so on.”

To help the British government get up to speed with cybersecurity issues,

Professor Siraj Shaikh, Coventry University, United Kingdom

“[GOVERNMENTS] ARE INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK TO THE WIDER PUBLIC IN THE SENSE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, IN THE SENSE OF DISRUPTION TO EVERYDAY LIFE OR IN THE RISK TO PUBLIC LIFE.” 28

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Shaikh and other experts have been brought in to work with ministries, offering guidance to civil servants on developing strategies around cybersecurity. The work has involved analysing particular scenarios to determine the appropriate response.

“That’s to bring out the nuances and technicalities of how you would respond to incidents and perceive these risks.

That’s very important to help them understand,” he says.

“It’s about making the ecosystem better and better, about managing these threats and risks more and more efficiently.”

While governments around the world have started to prioritise cybersecurity in earnest – Shaikh says the British government is “way ahead” of others, while Lyons says there has been “great adoption”

by United States government agencies of newer, more secure systems – Shaikh adds that that “the challenge is growing”.

So, authorities around the globe – including in the UAE – will have to keep cybersecurity as a top priority as the digitisation of services continues, as assets become ever more connected, and as threat actors look for new ways to disrupt the myriad activities of governments.

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SAVE THE DATE 16-18 April 2019

2019 BICSI Middle East & Africa District Conference & Exhibition Dubai World Trade Centre Sheikh Maktoum Hall | Dubai, UAE

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From AI to Zettabytes:

A Connected Future!

ANALYSIS

SHIFTING THREATS PUSH BUSINESSES TO RETHINK SECURITY PRIORITIES

THREAT REPORT REVEALS SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PHISHING, CRYPTOCURRENCY MINING AND BEC ATTACKS

C

yber-attacks that capitalise protection against these attacks available for months, even on the human desire to with smart solutions that years, yet remain exposed respond to urgent requests analyse the email writing in corporate networks. from authority are on the style of key executives Another strong CRYPTOCURRENCY rise, such as Business Email in order to identify indicator of how the MINING REACHED Compromise (BEC) and phishing, with whether the email may threat landscape A NEW PEAK IN 2018 phishing URL detections having increased be fraudulent. is shifting can be INCREASING BY an incredible 269 percent compared to Another area of seen in the types 2017, Trend Micro reported. change across the of threats that Another shift in attacks that businesses threat landscape in decline. Ransomware should be aware of is the rapid growth of 2018 was seen in zerodetections decreased cryptocurrency mining, which increased day vulnerabilities. The by 91 percent compared to 237 percent in the same time.

Trend Micro report has also 2017, along with a 32 percent The number of BEC attacks in uncovered more vulnerabilities in 2018 decrease in new ransomware families.

2018 increased by 28 percent. While than ever before, including 224 percent This reinforces the shift in attack tactics, Husni Hammoud, these attacks are less frequent than more Industrial Control System bugs. as ransomware does not require extensive general manager, phishing attacks, they are more This is particularly significant planning, technical skills or ingenuity due Middle East and Turkey, Barracuda sophisticated and take for organisations that to the large number of resources available Networks more careful planning struggle to implement for malicious hackers in the cybercriminal for cybercriminals patches across their underground. and they yield systems. While “The changes across the threat landscape an average of zero-day exploits in 2018 reflect a change in cybercriminal’s $132,000 per are less and less mindset,” said Jon Clay, director of global attack. common, known threat communications, Trend Micro.

As these vulnerabilities “Today’s most prevalent attacks are AMOUNT CYBERCRIMINALS GAIN attacks contain were used to targeted and well planned, as opposed FOR EVERY BEC ATTACK no malware and execute the to one-size-fits-all attacks of the past. go undetected by largest attacks in Knowing this pattern, we’re developing traditional security 2018. These tactics products that can outsmart these attack measures, companies rely on vulnerabilities methods and allow us to be one step need to increase their that have had patches ahead of the bad guys.”

237%

$132,000

30

MARCH 2019

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INTERVIEW

YOU’VE GOT MAIL! AS AN INTEGRAL COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION TOOL FOR ANY ORGANISATION ACROSS THE GLOBE, EMAIL REMAINS AN ATTRACTIVE ATTACK VECTOR FOR CYBERCRIMINALS. HUSNI HAMMOUD, GENERAL MANAGER, MIDDLE EAST, CEE AND TURKEY, BARRACUDA NETWORKS, DISCUSSES HOW ORGANISATIONS CAN STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE BAD GUYS.

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Husni Hammoud, general manager CEE, Middle East and Turkey, Barracuda Networks

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mail continues to be the most common attack vector.

What are the most common mistakes end-users are committing when it comes to email security?

The most common mistake is failing to identify a phishing email. Once an end-user clicks on a link in one of these emails, replies to it, or even simply forward it to somebody else, it will start a chain of events that can lead to email account compromise, business fraud or more.

Many users today are also using a unified inbox on their mobile device, which combines emails from business and personal accounts into a single list making it difficult to identify the source of each email. Cyberattackers are taking advantage of this and are now starting to subvert users via their personal email account, therefore, bypassing all email security their organisation has put in place.

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What best practices should IT security leaders take to correct these mistakes and to strengthen their security postures?

Email threats are continuously evolving and are increasingly becoming more sophisticated. In addition, more and more cybercriminals are using social engineering techniques to bypass traditional gateway security defences.

Organisations need to invest in additional layers of security such as those provided by Barracuda Sentinel and Barracuda PhishLine, which extend email protection to include inbox defence, fraud protection and security awareness training so that endusers within the organisation are fully protected from the latest threats.

IT security leaders should ensure they have effective defences against social engineering and spear phishing attacks by implementing additional security layers such as inbox defence and account takeover protection.

They should also invest in ongoing security awareness training for their entire user base. This will help their employees to detect and identify any potential threats that have slipped through the organisation’s security systems.

How can automation optimise effective cyber forensics and incident response?

If an organisation is hit by a cyberattack, quickly identifying and responding to it is vital in order to minimise and prevent any damage.

This is a difficult and time-consuming task for IT administrators and they are often faced with the challenge of being inadequately resourced.

Automated solutions such as Barracuda Forensics and Incident Response are able to analyse traffic patterns and other signals in real time and alert IT administrators to suspected attacks at the earliest opportunity.

Solutions like these will help assist IT

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“ONCE AN END-USER CLICKS ON A LINK IN ONE OF THESE EMAILS IT WILL START A CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT CAN LEAD TO EMAIL ACCOUNT COMPROMISE, BUSINESS FRAUD OR MORE.” administrators to accurately assess the nature and scope of the attack. It can also automatically delete malicious emails and rapidly carry out remediation actions to halt an attack’s progress and minimise the damages.

How can Barracuda’s Forensics and Incident Response capabilities enable organisations to achieve total email protection?

Email threats are continually evolving as attackers seek new ways to bypass security defences and attack end users, which means that although the latest solutions provided by vendors such as Barracuda are extremely effective, no security solution is 100% perfect.

Our Forensics and Incident Response offerings enable IT administrators to identify email threats quickly and accurately as well as address them to prevent any significant damage to the organisation.

Has the move to cloud finally become a realistic prospect for the Middle East, and what implications does that have on security?

Yes. In fact, we are witnessing many businesses, individuals and even government departments increasingly adopting cloud-based email servers. The appetite for cloud is there and adoption is rapidly increasing especially with the recent announcement that Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure are set to open their first data centres in the Middle East.

Fundamentally, applications in the public cloud run in the same way as they

do in an on-premise or privately hosted environment. It is important to note that, wherever it may be, the cloud is not necessarily secure. While this gives customers the security and scalability of the public cloud, they should keep in mind that they are still responsible for protecting their applications and data against a variety of attacks including network breaches, zero-day malware exploits, targeted attacks, advanced persistent threats, data leakage, and application-layer denial of service (DoS) as a part of the shared security responsibility model.

What offerings do Barracuda Networks have in terms of providing a secure cloud environment for regional organisations?

With Barracuda’s solutions for Azure, AWS and GCP, organisations can use the same Reference Architecture for onpremises WAFs and firewalls to secure a web-facing application. This makes it much easier, safer and more efficient to deploy workloads in the public cloud.

Furthermore, by deploying the Barracuda CloudGen Firewall, IT teams can gain an almost unlimited capability to remotely connect users to these applications.

Dedicated VPN clients are also available for the Barracuda CloudGen Firewall to support most popular device operating systems. The CloudGen Firewall also provides highly granular control, which can be defined both by user and application, further hardening an organisation’s security when running mission-critical apps in the cloud.

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INTERVIEW

Feras Al Hakim, channel manager

Aneez Abbas, channel sales manager - UAE

SET FOR GROWTH

WITH A MISSION OF DELIVERING HIGH VALUE SECURITY OFFERINGS, GULF IT DISTRIBUTION IS COMMITTED TO ITS “PARTNER-FOCUSED AND CUSTOMERCENTRIC” STRATEGY. THE TEAM AT THE UAE-BASED VAD – FERAS AL HAKIM, CHANNEL MANAGER; ANEEZ ABBAS, CHANNEL SALES MANAGER - UAE; AND LOAI AHMAD MAHMOUD JAMOUS, COUNTRY MANAGER - SAUDI ARABIA – SAT DOWN WITH SECURITY ADVISOR ME TO DISCUSS HOW THEY ARE PRIMED TO ADDRESS THE GROWING SECURITY DEMANDS IN THE REGION.

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Loai Ahmad Mahmoud Jamous, country manager - Saudi Arabia

C

an you please give a brief overview of your operations here in the region?

Headquartered in the UAE, Gulf IT has been operating in the Middle East since 2011. We run a truly channel-driven business ensuring that we provide our partners with the right solutions and expertise to support their customers. We have a robust cybersecurity portfolio that matches the growing demands in of the digital era as well as deep technical expertise that exceeds our partners’ and their customers’ expectations.

What have been the highlights at the company over the last year?

We have experienced significant growth in our business in 2018, which saw our turnover increase by more than 50 percent as compared to the

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previous year. We have also successfully established new partnerships with a number of well-known global cybersecurity vendors.

Gulf IT has always been committed to transforming from being a point solutions provider to an integrated cybersecurity distributor. This is what we have been focusing on over the past couple of years, that’s why we actively seek to forge relationships with the leading names in every aspect of the security space.

With regional offices situated in major hubs such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and, of course, here in the UAE, we aim to continue to build on this commitment.

What key security technologies are you focusing on?

Gulf IT has traditionally been focused on delivering solutions in areas such as application and data security. In addition, we are also strengthening our capabilities in terms of securing digital identities as well as identity governance and privilege accounts management (PAM). We have partnered with vendors such as Sailpoint, NNT, BeyondTrust as we believe that their offerings in these areas will allow us to deliver the right solutions that regional firms demand.

What is Gulf IT’s go-to-market strategy?

Gulf IT has always been partner-focused and customer-centric. We have invested heavily into a bigger scope of digital marketing and data-driven insights to enhance customer experience. This year, we aim to co-host several roadshows and participate in trade events to spread awareness on the latest cybersecurity trends and inform them how we can help them in securing their digital journey. In addition, we have set up a Live Security Centre at our head office in Dubai to demonstrate the technologies we offer and give customers a first-hand experience.

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GULF IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN COMMITTED TO TRANSFORMING FROM BEING A POINT SOLUTIONS PROVIDER TO AN INTEGRATED CYBERSECURITY DISTRIBUTOR. As a distributor how are you helping enable regional organisations to become cyber resilient?

As an intelligent cybersecurity partner, we believe in having a holistic approach.

Cybersecurity doesn’t have to impede your strategic business goals. In fact, securing one’s organisation is a continuous process and the need to be one step ahead of the threats is vital to the success of any digital journey. Our consultative approach and attention to detail enable us to better understand and address customers’ specific security requirements.

Which technology do you believe will have the biggest impact on the security space this year?

Artificial intelligence and Internet of Things are among the biggest trends that will impact the industry and we are eyeing these areas very closely.

Moreover, this year, we believe technologies around securing digital identities, automation and compliance will be on top of every organisation’s agenda. They will be the need of

AS AN INTELLIGENT CYBERSECURITY PARTNER, WE BELIEVE IN HAVING A HOLISTIC APPROACH.

the hour for organisations that are looking to transform their businesses.

What we have learnt is that many organizations protect information by securing their networks, endpoints, infrastructure and their application.

However, according to Verizon DBIR report, a majority (80 percent) of cyber incidents last year were caused by of hacking-related breaches such as either stolen credentials or weak credentials.

Therefore, the emphasis needs to be on identity governance and this will be our focus for 2019. Our vendor partners Sailpoint and BeyondTrust share the same belief What are your objectives for 2019?

For 2019, we have put together a unique and well-tailored cybersecurity portfolio to enable our clients to outsmart hackers and get robust protection from multiple cyber threats.

Our experience working with large enterprises across the region has aided in our rapid growth. Many of the largest banks and government organizations rely on our expertise across multiple security platforms. Our customers and the partners in the region will see us working proactively to provide solutions across security and compliance.

Furthermore, our professional services team is committed to responding rapidly to ever-changing needs of the market.

Gulf IT believes in organic growth as this has given us the time to focus on our key capabilities and explore other domains in cybersecurity.

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A CLOSER LOOK

GETTING TO KNOW TUSHAR CHAWLA, GROUP BUSINESS MANAGER – MARKETING AND RENEWALS, WESTCONCOMSTOR, ON HIS LIFE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE OFFICE.

What’s the one thing you can’t le the house ave without?

At what ag My phone e did you o and a bottle wn your v first mobil of protein shake. The ery e phone? W phone help hat model w a s it? s me stay connected – it has my My first ph emails and of things to one was a list do Nokia, whic bought wh shake is alw for the day. The prote hI e n I was 17. in ays handy if ever I am meeting th in a Wh at goes on at’s the be for too lon st part of yo g.

T h e b e st p ur job?

What is th art of my e first thin job is that helps me g you do w you are at it’s m aintain a g hen your office ood balan between c desk?

I go throug ce re a tivity and h my list o part of my strategy. A f things to the day an ro s le d , o I manage d then I dis for as well as marketing cuss the a points with renewals, ction my team. which is a sales func tion. It’s a n interesti juggling a What’s the ng ct. last gadge t you purchased ? The latest What’s the gadget I bought wa last thing s a Macbo you do befo you leave ok Pro. I d really like re th e office? o n ’t to spend o I check my to n fancy ga and I only -do list for dgets like to buy make sure the day to stuff that I that I have need. co e m ve pleted ry th How often ing. Als do you che team before o, I always talk to m ck your so media acc y le cial oun for the outs aving and thank them I mainly use ts? tanding wo social med rk they have done that d ia to see travel relate ay. d articles a nd videos. only check I my person If you’re n al social m account on ot working edia ce or twice in the tech s ecurity ind in I constantl a d / a y. ustry, whe B ut y use our co re would you be? mpany’s accounts to share upda I would be tes about o events, pro either work ur grammes ing industry or and promo I might have in the travel tions. restaurate become a ur.

ABOUT Tushar has over 12 years of experience working in the Middle East IT distribution space. He won several awards and recognition for launching various channel initiatives such as Marketing as a Service (MaaS). Apart from his work, Tushar is passionate about travel, fitness and food.

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MARCH 2019

37

ON THE WATCH

ONLINE EDITOR ADELLE GERONIMO SHARES HER VIEWS ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECURITY LANDSCAPE.

DON’T TAKE THE BAIT

D

ata breaches, cyber threats and attacks, have dominated media headlines over the past couple of years. However, organisations today are too pre-occupied preventing and mitigating external threats that they tend to neglect the most vulnerable aspect of the business – the employees.

An organisation is only as strong as its weakest link and when it comes to cybersecurity, employees are that weak link—and, in turn, a prime target.

Last year, cyber threats targeting endusers such as phishing attacks, social engineering and credential compromise have increased significantly. A global survey by cybersecurity firm Mimecast has revealed that 90 percent of organisations have been hit with phishing attacks,

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and that around one-fifth have suffered financial harm.

Phishing attacks typically come in the form of fake emails that seem to come from legitimate sources such as the company’s management, banks, a frequently visited website and the likes.

Since phishing attacks target and trick people using sophisticated yet practical techniques, no business is immune to them. Social media has also advanced phishing attacks to become more targeted, highly relevant and personalised.

Nobody wants to fall prey to a phishing scam. A successful phishing attack could cost your company anywhere from thousands to millions of dollars.

This highlights the ever-growing importance of security awareness and education.

That’s why organisations need to make sure that employees are constantly educated and trained on how they can recognise and respond to phishing attacks.

However, security awareness and education are much more than training, knowledge, and attentiveness. It needs to be part of the culture in your business, a part of your everyday lives. Organisations should encourage employees to be more suspicious. Instill a “think before you click” campaign and make sure users within the firm remember to always check links address and the sender’s email before clicking anything.

As there is no silver bullet when it comes to security, winning against the bad guys requires an all hands on deck approach.

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