Dubai: SearchInform, a leading information security and risk management solutions vendor, has conducted an extensive survey among organizations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to assess their approach to information security. The results show a significant shift towards outsourcing security functions, with nearly 70% of organizations either already using Managed Security Services (MSS) or planning to do so in the near future, the company said in a media release.
According to the company, the survey involved business executives, information technology and security (IT, IS) professionals, and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) from both public and private sectors. The research aimed to evaluate the current state of corporate protection and identify priorities in ensuring information security amid the region’s unique challenges. According to them, 80% of respondents reported an increase in their information security budgets over the past year, reflecting a growing recognition of the need for robust security measures. Only 22% of respondents reported budgets haven’t changed, no one reported a decrease in budgets.
Gaps in deployment
SearchInform’s findings indicate that while many organizations have implemented basic cybersecurity measures such as Antivirus, Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW), Intrusion Detection System (IDS), Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) and Endpoint Protection System (EPS); there is still a significant gap in the deployment of more advanced systems like Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM). These tools are critical for real-time monitoring and internal threat protection, yet only 29% of companies have implemented DLP, and a mere 5% have adopted SIEM systems, the company says.
Lev Matveev, Chairman of the Board of Directors at SearchInform, commented on the survey results, stating, “The increasing reliance on MSS highlights the ongoing shift in how organizations are approaching their cybersecurity needs. Outsourcing provides access to specialized expertise and technology, which is particularly vital in regions facing a shortage of skilled information security professionals.”
Internal threats on the rise
The research also revealed that internal threats are coming to the fore. More than half of respondents admitted experiencing one or more information security incidents, caused by insider actions.
“To effectively combat internal threats, increasing the cybersecurity literacy of employees will reduce the risk of undesirable incidents. The second measure is the implementation of protective solutions that help prevent both accidental and deliberate incidents, such as data leaks, corporate fraud cases, theft, kickbacks and bribery, illicit access to confidential data, etc. In this regard, the integration of DLP and DCAP systems is necessary. DCAP-class systems that perform corporate file system analysis, classify data stored in the organization, handle the task of distributing access rights, and prevent the risk of data leakage and misuse at the initial stage. These are important components of the protective system, and the concept of DCAP systems is highly recommended by Gartner experts,” Matveev said.
As the demand for MSS continues to grow, SearchInform’s local subsidiary in the UAE has seen strong interest from both businesses and governmental organizations, underscoring the importance of managed services in addressing the region's complex security challenges, says the media release. The global MSS market size is expected to grow from $ 30.6 billion in 2023 to $52.9 billion by 2028, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.5%.
