Consumerisation of smartphones and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) are the biggest trends driving network security issues in the Middle East today, said experts at a recent enterprise security summit in Dubai.

Over the past few years, this has led to increased Government investment in information and communication technology (ICT)-related projects in the Middle East and this is expected to proliferate further in future.

To address these threats to enterprise security and brainstorm best-in-class Enterprise Security Solutions and Strategies, Frost & Sullivan, a major growth partnership company, convened the best minds in enterprise security at its Middle East Enterprise Security Summit 2012 on November 21, at Habtoor Grand Beach Resort.

The summit began with an inaugural address by Andy Baul-Lewis, director, ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan, describing the prevalent enterprise security landscape in the Middle East.

“Building security for electronic assets is one of the most critical tasks facing organisations today,” he said.

“In a converged world, where the threats of each system are multiplied; getting advice, sharing best practice, and talking to partners is a vital part of the construction process. This is what Frost & Sullivan endeavours to provide through this interactive summit.”

The Summit included in-depth discussions and case studies on enterprise security management.

“Information security is increasingly emerging as a critical concern in today’s modern business environment,” said Kamran Ahsan, head of Information Security, Injazat Data Systems, UAE.

“This trend is very much evident in the Middle East, where enterprises have experienced information-related threats such as infiltration, data leakage, and cyber warfare among others.

“Injazat Data Systems will highlight how enterprises can proactively address these challenges and mitigate risks associated with business assets and services of enterprises. Moreover, with the best minds in enterprise security attending this Event, we expect to have an in-depth discussion of new trends and developments in information security in the Middle East,” he added.

Bashar Bashaireh, regional director, the Middle East, Fortinet said, “IT has become central in driving the business processes of enterprises. However, as trends such as mobility, cloud computing, and BYOD are fast gaining momentum in the UAE, helping drive business profit and innovation; they are also bringing forth new challenges to IT security.”

“Organisations in the UAE should act now to regain control of their IT infrastructure by strongly securing their network and applying granular control over users, devices, and applications. The Summit organised by Frost & Sullivan is a great platform for us to share with end customers our insights on the new approach aimed towards IT security.”

Dong Wu, vice president, Huawei Enterprise Middle East said, “As organisations roll out cloud-based models into their business infrastructure, the issue of security becomes an ever increasing concern.

“The Middle East Enterprise Security Summit is a way for Huawei and other industry leaders to come together and discuss how businesses can be better secured and protected from the fast-evolving cyber threats that exist today. At the summit, we look forward to sharing our insights on how organisations can improve their planning processes before making their move into the cloud.”

The network security market is in a high-growth stage. Frost & Sullivan anticipates that technology convergence, regulatory compliance, and continuous growth of network infrastructure will continue to drive up sales for security suppliers in the Middle East during the period 2012-2018. – TradeArabia News Service