Building cyber resilience through AI with SANS Institute

■ As cybersecurity becomes increasingly tied to national resilience and digital transformation, how are the skills and capabilities organizations need in the Middle East evolving?

Cybersecurity in the Middle East has evolved from primarily a technical concern into a strategic priority linked to national resilience, economic growth and digital transformation. This has changed the skills organizations need to develop. The focus is no longer only on building individual technical expertise, but on developing sustainable cybersecurity capability across the organization. This includes specialized practitioners, security leaders and critical-infrastructure professionals, supported by continuous learning pathways that keep their skills aligned with the pace of transformation. The key question for organizations today is whether they have the right capabilities in place to support their digital ambitions securely.

■ How is the UAE’s cyber threat landscape evolving in 2026, and which risks should organizations be most prepared for?

The UAE is seeing a mix of AI-powered phishing, deepfake-enabled social engineering, state-sponsored attacks, ransomware, data breaches, scams and DDoS campaigns. Ransomware targeting critical infrastructure and financial services is also a growing concern, and these threats are likely to persist through the rest of 2026. For organizations, resilience will depend not only on deploying the right security technologies, but also on building the expertise to respond to emerging risks. Hands-on capabilities across AI, cloud, zero-trust and ICS/OT security will therefore remain important.

■ How is SANS using GISEC 2026 to help cybersecurity professionals translate emerging security challenges into practical skills?

At GISEC, we are combining hands-on training with broader industry and government collaboration to build practical cybersecurity capabilities. Through our partnership with the UAE Cybersecurity Council, we are expanding access to advanced training and globally recognized certifications, while also supporting capacity building, information sharing, awareness initiatives and advisory support. CyberE71, the Council’s cybersecurity innovation and entrepreneurship platform, is supporting the collaboration by connecting SANS Institute’s training and technical expertise with cybersecurity startups, entrepreneurs, university talent and the wider innovation community. This helps extend capability development beyond professional training and connect advanced cybersecurity skills with innovation and entrepreneurship in the UAE.