Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 114 | Page 44

FEATURE: TRENDS IN CYBERSECURITY SOLUTIONS
Ram Narayanan, Country Manager, Check Point Software Technologies, Middle East
Disruptive trends include quantumresilient cryptography, Zero-Trust models tailored for hybrid work and behavioural biometrics for identity assurance. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, the industry is moving toward integrated ecosystems that can self-heal, self-learn and scale dynamically. upskilling and cross-functional collaboration are now critical for navigating the complexity of today’ s evolving threat landscape.
Fragmented security tools often operate in silos, hindering visibility and unified threat response. Over-reliance on AI without human oversight can lead to false positives or missed threats. Additionally, Generative AI, while powerful, is weaponised by threat actors to create sophisticated, hard-to-detect attacks.
Alain Penel, Vice President, Middle East, Türkiye and CIS, Fortinet
As cyber threats become more complex, enterprises are prioritising advanced skills in AI and machine learning, particularly for threat detection and response. Expertise in cloud security, particularly in managing hybrid and multi-cloud environments, is critical. There is also a growing demand for professionals skilled in Zero-Trust frameworks to mitigate risks across remote work and distributed networks.
Cybersecurity teams must also be proficient in managing and securing edge devices, including IoT systems. Strong knowledge of data privacy laws and global regulations is essential as organisations navigate increasing regulatory complexity in 2025. Navigating the complexities of diverse global regulations adds another challenge.
Biju Unni, Vice President, Cloud Box Technologies
There is a significant push towards autonomous threat response systems that minimise manual intervention and reduce incident response times. AI and Generative AI redefine how we perceive and respond to cyber threats.
These AI-driven systems continuously monitor data logs and user behaviour, drastically reducing detection time and allowing faster more precise threat mitigation. Generative AI goes further by helping simulate attack scenarios and stress-test security environments, enabling organisations to implement proactive and pre-emptive defence strategies.
The rise of AI and ML has further amplified the need for data fluency and automation skills. Regular
In 2025, cybersecurity challenges will evolve to become even more complex. Threat actors are becoming more specialised, especially in the early stages of attacks,
focusing on reconnaissance and weaponisation.
Cybersecurity is heading in a direction where everything is becoming smarter, more connected, and easier to manage. The use of AI and quantum computing for example will continue to transform the threat landscape. Cybercriminals are already using AI to automate reconnaissance and streamline phishing attacks, and this trend will only grow.
AI promises real-time threat detection and response. Quantum computing, while still in its early stages, could disrupt traditional encryption methods, making it crucial for businesses to adopt post-quantum cryptography to protect sensitive data. These technologies highlight the need for businesses to stay ahead of the curve and rethink their cybersecurity strategies.
The cybersecurity landscape is always evolving and this means that professionals need to continuously learn specialised skills, especially in areas of AI-driven security, cloud security, and automation.
Hasanian Alkassab, Director Cyber Security, GBM
By 2025, cybersecurity will witness transformative innovations, including autonomous security operations, deep integration of real-time threat intelligence, and widespread
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