October 8, 2024 at 02:02AM
The Middle East and Turkey face increasing cyberattacks, with over 10 incidents per year on average. Cloudflare’s survey reveals that less than half of organizations feel adequately prepared for future attacks, driving efforts to modernize cyber defenses. Despite investments, concerns remain about the security of applications, data, and supply chains. Industries like media, telecom, and gaming express the most concern, citing a lack of skilled cybersecurity staff. Compliance with government frameworks is also a challenge, as executive commitment to cybersecurity wavers.
Based on the meeting notes, the main takeaways are:
1. Organizations in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey have experienced a high number of cyberattacks over the past year, and there is a general expectation for the situation to worsen in the coming year. As a result, efforts to simplify and modernize cyber defenses and IT infrastructure are being driven.
2. Less than half of organizations in these regions feel well-prepared to defend against future cyberattacks, indicating a concerning lack of readiness.
3. Cybersecurity remains a significant concern in these regions, with a particular focus on issues such as balancing the complex cybersecurity landscape, the rise in cyber incidents, and the targeting of specific industries such as media, telecom, and gaming.
4. The majority of organizations are planning to increase cybersecurity’s share of their IT budgets, with a top priority being the consolidation and simplification of their cybersecurity infrastructure.
5. There are notable gaps and challenges in cybersecurity efforts, including concerns around the security of applications and data in the public cloud, oversight into the supply chain, and visibility and control over network devices.
6. Sectors such as media, telecom, and gaming are among the most pessimistic regarding future cyberattacks, and there are concerns about the shortage of information-security professionals in these industries.
7. Many organizations in the region are struggling to meet government-backed cybersecurity frameworks, indicating a need for improved compliance and commitment to cybersecurity from leadership.
These takeaways illustrate the pressing need for organizations in the Middle East and Turkey to strengthen their cybersecurity measures and address the challenges they are facing in defending against cyber threats. It also highlights the importance of leadership buy-in and commitment to address the cybersecurity challenges facing these organizations.