Cybersecurity Talent Shortage a Major Concern for CISOs in UAE and KSA

The UAE and Saudi Arabia have consistently achieved high rankings in global cybersecurity maturity assessments. These accolades result from their effective implementation of cybersecurity regulations by governmental bodies and the introduction of initiatives to attract cybersecurity talent to the region.
However, a recent global report from Trellix, a leading cybersecurity company specializing in extended detection and response (XDR), reveals that organizations in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE still face significant challenges in dealing with cybersecurity threats, despite increased spending.
The end-of-decade compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) for the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) cybersecurity market have experienced an upward revision, ranging from 5.9% in 2017 to as high as 7.6% in recent years. This indicates a growing interest in cybersecurity at the board level.
Nevertheless, Trellix’s “Mind of the CISO (Chief Information Security Officer)” report highlights that a substantial percentage of CISOs in the UAE and KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) believe their organizations lack the necessary human resources and processes to effectively withstand cyber threats. In fact, 66% of CISOs feel their organizations are not equipped to be truly cyber resilient, and a staggering 74% consider their current technology infrastructure inadequate.
From a procedural perspective, 38% of CISOs in the UAE and KSA report that they are hindered in their ability to communicate externally for learning purposes. Similarly, 38% express frustration with their organizations’ sluggish responses to evolving regulatory frameworks, and 18% believe their processes are inadequately designed or inundated with excessive information sources, hindering their ability to maintain control over their environments.