Future cybersecurity landscapes in spotlight at Gitex Global 2024

Sajjad Ahmad, Deputy Business Editor/ WAM

The Gitex Global 2024 presented exhilarating events and exhibitions across technology’s new frontiers, participants examined the existing and future cybersecurity landscapes with the world’s foremost experts.

As GITEX Global’s biggest-ever international edition reached the halfway stage, “Cybersecurity Day” headlined the Wednesday schedule. An enlightening series of keynote speeches, fireside chats, and specialist panels cast a unique spotlight on the urgent challenges, emerging threats, and innovative opportunities facing individuals, enterprises, industries, and nations worldwide.

With global cybercrime damage projected to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, the international tech community is determined to ignite a paradigm shift through reinvigorated determination. This universal attitude was on full display at Gitex Global as top CISOs, CIOs, and GRC leaders converged with a unified mission: establish the foremost line of defence globally.

In 2024, finance industry AI-driven fraud has surged by 40 per cent, posing unprecedented challenges for incumbents. One of Wednesday’s must-attend conference sessions - ‘AI-Driven Digital Fraud: Safeguarding the Finance Industry’s Future’ - examined how emerging technologies are being harnessed to overcome the evolving threat.

Dr Mohammed Hamad Al-Kuwaiti, Chairman of the UAE Cybersecurity Council, revealed that the country dispelled millions of threats this year alone while endorsing AI as a “game-changer” in leading the industry’s cyber resurgence. Speaking on Gitex Tech Waves Podcast, he said, “Cyber awareness is crucial - and AI is changing the game. The UAE is a financial hub that faced 71 million attacks in Q1 2024. We are resilient and thwarted these with early threat detection through AI. It’s a hugely beneficial technology alongside our great partnerships with the world.”

Todd Conklin also weighed in on the positive impact of AI. While acknowledging the potential repercussions of AI’s power when utilised by malicious actors, the Chief AI Officer and Deputy Assistant Secretary, Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection at the US Department of the Treasury, added, “The US Treasury runs the largest payments ecosystem in the entire world. We’ve leveraged AI models to reduce fraud by almost $600 million in the last six months. It’s becoming increasingly critical in the counter-fraud space.”

UAE Cybersecurity Council: EDGE entity ORYXLABS, a leading provider of digital risk protection and advanced cyber solutions, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE Cybersecurity Council, the government body responsible for protecting critical infrastructure and national assets from cyber threats, at Gitex Global 2024.

The MoU outlines how both organisations will coordinate efforts on information security and digital resilience, focusing on sharing insights on security risks and jointly responding to information security incidents.

This agreement builds on the organisations’ collaboration on the State of the Nation: GCC Report, which was also released during GITEX. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of cybersecurity challenges across the GCC, underscoring the importance of coordinated efforts to strengthen the region’s cyber resilience and safeguard its digital future.

Sumit Dhar, CEO of ORYXLABS, said, “Our collaboration with the UAE Cybersecurity Council, demonstrated through the in-depth State of the Nation: GCC report and reinforced by today’s MoU, establishes a clear framework to enhance information security and strengthen digital resilience across the UAE and the wider region. By aligning efforts, we are better positioned to address security risks, close identified gaps, and safeguard critical infrastructure and national assets from emerging cyber threats.”

Dr Mohammed Hamad Al-Kuwaiti expressed his pleasure in the ongoing partnership with ORYXLABS and EDGE, emphasising the importance of strengthening collaboration between the public and private sectors to unite efforts in safeguarding the digital security infrastructure, both at the national level and across the wider region. He also highlighted that cybersecurity is a cornerstone of digital transformation, requiring a high degree of flexibility to keep pace with rapid changes that bring potential challenges and threats, along with promising opportunities.

The State of the Nation: GCC report offers a thorough analysis of cybersecurity challenges across the region, providing essential insights into the current landscape, identifying gaps in implementation, and outlining actionable recommendations for improvement. More importantly, it highlights the critical role of public-private partnerships in assessing and advancing national cybersecurity efforts.

Focusing on AI technologies: Trend Micro is a leader in cybersecurity and providing various solutions and tools for customers to protect their data, whether it is on the endpoint, network, email, or cloud.

Tarek Jammoul - Regional Country Director, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, and Levant, Trend Micro said, “At this year Gitex, Trend Micro is heavily focusing on AI technologies and solutions. We are showcasing Trend Micro Vision 1, which is our cutting-edge cybersecurity solution platform. It is a native cloud solution that supports cloud, hybrid, and on-premises environments, enhancing our security culture for customers.”

He added, “With the rise of AI, cyber attackers are launching more sophisticated attacks within the region. Our leading solution, Trend Micro Vision 1, is comprehensive; in a single console, you have XDR, standard detection and response, security optimization, incident response, and AI-driven attack detection. This all-in-one platform allows customers to better respond to, detect, and gain visibility into their environment against these types of threats.”

Jammoul explained, “We have a strong presence in the region, serving various sectors including government, private, public, education, banking, and oil and gas. Our tools and solutions are designed to enhance our customers’ security posture and protect them against threats and cyber attacks.”

Ajman Tourism’s payment solutions: Sheikh AbdulAziz Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Ajman Tourism Development Department, witnessed the launch of new digital payment solutions by the Ajman Department of Finance in collaboration with First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and Magnati. These solutions enable both government and non-government fee payments across the emirate through the ‘Ajman Pay’ platform. The event was also graced by Marwan Ahmed Al Ali, Director General of the Ajman Department of Finance.

This initiative comes as part of the Ajman Department of Finance’s participation in Gitex Global 2024, aiming to enhance digital quality of life in the emirate and advance towards a digital future that meets the aspirations of the wise leadership.

The Department unveiled the upgraded “Ajman Pay Wallet,” a digital wallet designed to securely and seamlessly pay for government services and numerous everyday services offered in Ajman, accessible on the “Ajman Pay” platform. Users can store and utilise a balance of up to Dhs1 million. Additionally, the Department introduced the “Sahala Card,” a prepaid government card for individuals that is linked to the “Ajman Pay Wallet” app, providing the option to pay for both government and non-government services via the platform.

Seamless Inspections: Dubai Customs has signed an MoU with Aramex, a leader in logistics and transportation. This collaboration aims to boost the “Seamless Inspections” initiative, a pioneering solution developed by Dubai Customs. The initiative offers businesses the convenience of having their shipments inspected at their own warehouses instead of customs centers, and at a time that suits them, ultimately reducing logistics costs and speeding up customs clearance. This change aims to increase operational efficiency and flexibility for companies, improving the overall reliability and effectiveness of the supply chain, while strengthening Dubai’s position as a leading global trade hub.

The agreement was signed during Gitex Global by Mansoor Al Malik, Executive Director for policies and legislation Division, and Tarek Abu Yaghi, General Manager of Aramex. Al Malik emphasised that this initiative is in line with Dubai’s economic goals, aiming to streamline foreign trade and improve business practices. He expressed optimism that this innovative solution will positively impact trade operations and contribute to the growth of Dubai’s global commerce.

Identity, access solutions:  HID, a worldwide leader in trusted identity solutions, made a significant impact at Gitex, where it unveiled its latest innovations designed to meet the evolving security needs of global enterprises.

The company is showcasing next-generation technologies that are transforming identity management, including the highly anticipated FARGO HDP5000e retransfer card printer.

HID’s Isaac Young, VP & Head of FARGO, stated, “The HDP5000e is where unparalleled reliability meets exceptional usability and performance — setting a new standard for the everyday retransfer card printing experience. We’re excited to introduce it at Gitex 2024 to demonstrate how it offers seventh-generation retransfer technology for every need — from sharp and vibrant photo ID cards to multi-functional, high-security ID badge and card applications.”

He said, “We have very strong presence in this region. Our parent company has opened an office in Dubai. HID has had a positive Gitex with several new products on display.”

On sustainability, Young concluded, “We have taken big steps towards reducing the manufacturing carbon footprint in our new product and as an organization we have set targets of reducing carbon emission.”

Pankaj Chaudhary, Head of Sales - India and MEA, Identification Technologies (IDT), HID said, “We cover track and trace technologies which help organization to digitise their systems from manual to automation. Our technologies are also helping organization in cost reduction.”

He said, “Both India and Middle East are adopting the latest technologies. We keep innovating our products and bringing latest Technologies to the market.”

Unified communication solutions: Jabra, is part of GN Group, is participating at Gitex Global 2024 focuses on delivering unified communication solutions, positioning itself as a market leader in professional audio equipment.

Holger Reisinger, Senior Vice President, Video Enterprise Solutions, GN Audio A/S Jabra said, “At Gitex, we are presenting a diverse range of our audio solutions alongside our video products, showcasing the innovation and quality that Jabra brings to both personal and enterprise communication needs.”

He continued, “At Gitex, we are showcasing our full range of headsets, highlighting how AI-driven technologies are transforming the use of personal devices. AI-powered virtual assistants—whether integrated into smartphones or enterprise platforms in the cloud, such as Copilot or Gemini—are becoming essential tools for enhancing productivity. With our headsets, users can seamlessly interact with these AI agents through voice commands, eliminating the need for manual input.”

He explained, “In the post-COVID era, we are now embracing the ‘hybrid work’ model, where businesses require adaptable technologies to support seamless collaboration across both remote and in-office environments.”

Reisinger concluded, “The UAE’s strong and diversified economy will sustain the growing demand for remote and hybrid work solutions. As a leader in innovation and the market, Jabra is heavily investing in research and development to stay at the forefront. We collaborate closely with key partners like Microsoft, Google, and Zoom. We see significant potential for growth in the Middle East as organizations increasingly adopt hybrid work models and integrate AI-powered solutions.”

Solutions for supermarkets: During the ongoing Gitex 2024, companies known for spotlighting digital transformation and innovation provided an ideal platform for companies such as HTIC Global, who unveiled its comprehensive business support solutions tailored specifically for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The SME Supermarket concept by HTIC Global garnered attention at Gitex 2024, the concept is designed as a one-stop hub that offers a range of services, including IT solutions, HR, digital marketing, accounting, and finance and solutions such as HRMS, ERP, and web development. 

Dinto Akkara, CEO of HTIC Global, explained, “The SME Supermarket is more than just a suite of services. It is an empowering ecosystem designed to help small and medium businesses overcome common hurdles. Allowing businesses regardless of their size or budget to have access to expertise that allows them to focus on their goals.”

HTIC Global’s comprehensive suite of services is designed to support SMEs in several key areas: IT Solutions, Accounting & Finance, Digital Marketing, customer support: ERP system and HR Management System.

Ugreen‘s tech innovations: Ugreen, a global leader in consumer electronics and charging technology showcasing its latest innovations, including the Uno Chargers, the NASync Series, Nexode Power Banks, and Revodok Docking Stations.

Each product highlights cutting-edge technology, delivering exceptional performance and unmatched convenience.

The tech firm has been a trusted name in the Middle Eastern market for 12 years, consistently delivering innovative, high-quality products to local consumers and establishing a strong foothold in the region. With an unwavering commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction, it continually expand its influence by introducing cutting-edge technology and top-tier products, further enhancing efficiency for consumers throughout the region.