Gisec 2021: cyber-security bonanza begins in Dubai

Influential conference is region's largest event of its kind and Covid has increased its significance

Fears have been raised over young people's increasingly online lives. Getty Images

The Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference begins on Monday at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The three-day event is the largest and most influential of its kind in the Middle East and will see international experts collaborate on developing regional cyber-security agendas.

Gisec 2021 will be a key platform for international dialogue on increasingly sophisticated cyber crimes against governments, critical national infrastructure and sensitive corporate data.

Huawei and Microsoft are among the companies to be present.

This year's event addresses the theme "Enabling Resilience in Digital Economies" and will feature more than 180 international speakers.

Delegates will hear how international law enforcement agencies are working together to fight cyber criminals.

Craig Jones, cyber crime director of Interpol, and Col Saeed Al Hajri, director of the cyber crime department at Dubai Police, will outline joint operations to identify threats and their regional and national effects.

"As cyber criminals become more sophisticated and bold, the vigilance of governments, businesses and citizens is more important than ever," Col Al Hajri said.

"The borderless nature of cyber crime means that organisations and individuals can be targeted from anywhere, so it is imperative that we collaborate in drafting strategies to help us navigate these complexities.

"Gisec is the perfect platform for sparking that discussion."

Society's reliance on digital technologies has greatly increased during the coronavirus pandemic, and with this greater dependence has come greater scope for cyber attacks.

"As we advance towards a more digitally focused society following the pandemic, more devices are being connected and services are going online," said Jiawei Liu, chief executive of Huawei UAE.

"Therefore, cyber security is now more important than ever."

Gisec is being organised in partnership with the UAE’s most influential cyber bodies, including the UAE Cyber Security Council, the Dubai Electronic Security Centre, the Dubai Police, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, Smart Dubai and the Investment Corporation of Dubai.