The 2018 edition of the Gulf Information Security Conference and Internet of Things Expo (IoTX) will connect digital decision makers from across the globe to discuss the latest tech innovations, cybersecurity trends and smart solutions.

The 2018 edition of the Gulf Information Security Conference and Internet of Things Expo (IoTX) will connect digital decision makers from across the region and beyond to discuss the latest tech innovations, cybersecurity trends and smart solutions.

The events, co-located under the Future Technology Week umbrella, will run at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from May 1-3 and will feature more than 120 leading cybersecurity and technology exhibitors from 80-plus countries, showcasing the latest products and services to meet the growing demand for critical online security and blockchain solutions.

More than 7,500 infosec professionals will gather to network, knowledge share and trade, while 60-plus industry experts take to the stage for more than 100 influential talks on everything from the future of Artificial Intelligence to national cybersecurity agendas, and smart city implementation.

Younus Al Nasser, assistant director general of the Smart Dubai Office (SDO) said: “As the world grows ever more connected, Internet of Things increasingly becomes a hot topic across many sectors. This is where events such as the IoTX become all the more necessary, offering a platform for experts to work together and complement one another to build robust networks. A smart city’s achievements in terms of advanced technologies and smart solutions help create digital asset that cannot be fully utilised unless integrated into secure and connected data platforms that are consistently updated.”

One of the hot topics during Future Technology Week will be the growing concern around advanced malware across the Middle East and best practices to combat cybercriminals. Cited in the 2017 edition of Deloitte’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications Predictions, countries in the Middle East are on high alert against malware attacks with systems in the region suffering at least double, in some cases eleven times as many, the global average of infected systems.

The 6th edition of Gisec promises to be the most energetic to date, with adrenaline-fuelled record breakers and robot dogs on patrol, while IoTX will feature the world’s first AI-composed song for the city of Dubai. With the Middle East and Africa (MEA) cybersecurity market forecast to reach $34.6 billion by 2023, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.6 per cent, according to leading-industry market research and consultancy firm Mordor Intelligence, Gisec and IoTX 2018 will shape the agenda for the future of cybersecurity and IoT in the region.

In another first for the industry-leading shows, Gisec and IoTX 2018 will be opened to the public, enabling anyone with an interest in cybersecurity and IoT to gain a deeper understanding of challenges and opportunities facing the region as it continues to embrace the digital era.

The foremost cybersecurity conference in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, Gisec 2018 will deliver a comprehensive program, featuring a new one-day AI Talks. Also new to the show is the BFSI Cyber Focus Day, a unique session highlighting the challenges faced by the banking, financial services and insurance sector. In a special preview to the main event, on April 30, former CISOs from BP and Shell will deliver an in-depth session and share best practices to protect oil and gas industries in the Oil and Gas Masterclasses.

Meanwhile, IoTX will stage a three-day smart cities conference extravaganza, addressing issues surrounding how to make a city truly smart, efficient and effective. Inspire Talks provides a platform for new-age inventors from across the globe to share insight and their game-changing inventions set to transform the way we live. Additionally, the free-to-attend sessions at X-Labs will highlight the latest developments in the sphere of AI, blockchain and IoT.

“The issue of cybersecurity has witnessed rapid growth across the world - particularly in this region - in recent years as our planet becomes ever-more connected and Gisec and IoTX have grown in tandem to act as the perfect vehicle to meet those increasing demands. The 2018 edition takes on extra significance given the rise in blockchain and the adoption of AI and we have some exciting, game-changing technology reveals to share,” said Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president, Events and Exhibitions, DWTC.

“The UAE leads the region in digital transformation. Dubai has strategic goals to become the world’s most intelligent city, so it is the ideal location to host an industry-shaping and society-defining exhibition and conference.”

Future Technology Week is supported by Dubai Electronic Security Center, Dubai Police, Smart Dubai, Etisalat Digital, National Crime Agency and CSA Singapore; Gisec will highlight the importance of robust information security framework by addressing challenges on global cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats against governments, industries and organisations across the region. – TradeArabia News Service