The security software market in GCC is set to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.3 per cent until 2016, according to an analysis from International Data Corporation (IDC).

These increased efforts come as the GCC’s most prominent chief information officers, IT experts, cyber innovators, captains of industry and top level policy makers gear up to participate in the inaugural Gulf Information Security Expo & Conference (Gisec).

Gisec is organised and hosted by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from June 3 to 5, and powered by Gitex Technology Week.

The event will focus on the latest solutions in cyber security, the latest information security trends and cyber security legislation in the Middle East.

Cyber attacks have enormous socio-economic and political implications for GCC economies. For instance, online commerce in the region is projected to be worth $15 billion by 2015, according to research by Visa Middle East in collaboration with the GCC.

Gisec is viewed as a lucrative springboard that will propel the region to regain the upper hand against cybercrime, following costly breaches at some of the Gulf’s oil and gas facilities. These attacks sent tidal waves of alarm across the region, especially since oil and gas are the lifeblood of the region’s economy. Breaches to corporations’ stringent levels of information security have highlighted the fact that collaborative efforts and knowledge exchange are required to combat the problem.

Trixee Loh, senior vice president at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), said: “Gisec is the optimal platform for breakthrough solutions by bringing together visionary minds from the region and beyond to collaborate on counter-attacks against cybercrime.

“The impact of cyber attacks has greatly escalated in recent years, which is why Gisec is vital to enabling industry professionals, experts and corporations in the region to progress from a defensive to an offensive strategy in information security.”

Nader Henein, Enterprise Security, BlackBerry, said: “BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 enables organisations to secure and manage their BlackBerry, iOS and Android devices, both smartphones and tablets and does so natively. Our Enterprise Mobility Management engine enables workers to securely access the corporate information – from applications to email – that they need, and provides administrators with efficient tools that keep their businesses moving.

“With BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, administrators can create separate enterprise and personal profiles on BlackBerry 10 devices, enabling employees to use one device for all their needs without the traditional compromise that has been mandated for years between what the enterprise needs and what the end-user wants.”

"We are looking forward to Gisec 2013 as we believe it a key event in the GCC market to help organisations and government agencies discuss and collaborate on recent security issues in the region and share technologies and solutions to effectively combat cyber attacks and keep corporate data secure," said Hadi Jaafarawi, Middle East Managing Director for Qualys.

Stephan Berner, managing director, Help AG said: “Help AG focuses solely on Information Security that is why Gisec is the perfect trade show for the company of our profile and a good platform to showcase our security solutions and services to enterprise customers with complex technical requirements where security is concerned.”

Taking centre stage at the event is the Gisec conference on June 4 and 5, which will be attended by delegates representing the industry’s top companies and authorities. The conference gathers the foremost thinkers in cyber security, both regionally and globally, to exchange cutting edge ideas and find solutions that advance the region’s digital safeguards.

Speakers at Gisec will shed more light on the most pertinent issues facing the region, through topics including ‘Security ramifications of cloud computing’; ‘Learning from 2012 and responding in 2013’; ‘Guarding the nation from cyber war’; ‘Protecting the digital economy’; ‘Human behavior in critical situations’; and ‘Cyber liability risk management’.

In addition to the speakers, the panellists include Furqan Ahmed Hashmi - security architect for the Emirates Investment Authority; and Andy Baul Lewis - director of ICT Practice at Frost & Sullivan.

Gisec is a trade-only event and is open to business and trade visitors from within the industry only. – TradeArabia News Service