Black Hat MEA wrapped its largest edition yet, reporting a 55% increase in size from last year. The event confirmed Riyadh as a central hub for the global cybersecurity community.

The three-day event spanned 60,612 m², making it the world’s largest cybersecurity floorshow for the second consecutive year. Attendees came from over 163 countries, with 500 global brands and 300 speakers participating. Investor assets worth $13.9 billion were represented on the show floor.

Competition finals set new benchmarks for regional cyber talent. The world’s largest CTF competition concluded with Platinum winning the top Saudi team position. 0xA claimed the international team category. In the Bug Bounty Cup, Omar Alzughaibi secured first place by uncovering high-impact vulnerabilities on the BugBounty.sa platform.

CyberSeed, the pitch competition highlighting regional cybersecurity startups, delivered a key moment on day three. Ten shortlisted startups presented to investors, CISOs, and operators. Sahl, an AI-powered governance, risk, and compliance platform, won the $30,000 equity-free prize and a chance to represent the region at Black Hat USA.

Sessions addressed emerging threats and industry trends. In “Strike First in the AI War: Re-wiring the Internet with Zero Trust,” David Redekop, CEO of ADAM Networks, highlighted a 4,151% surge in offensive AI attacks. Daniel Bowden, CISO at Marsh McLennan, discussed the importance of incident response planning and cyber insurance in mitigating breach risks.

The closing ceremony emphasized the event’s global impact. Steve Durning, Portfolio Director at Tahaluf, reported over 40,000 attendees over three days. He noted that Black Hat MEA has become a pivotal moment where the global cybersecurity community meets, competes, and shapes the future of cyber defense.

Black Hat MEA 2026 will return to Riyadh from 1–3 December. Registration is now live for the next edition, which promises a deeper technical program, expanded competitions, and new stages.

Key Highlights:

• Largest Black Hat MEA edition: 60,612 m², 300 speakers, 500 global brands.
• Platinum and 0xA won CTF competitions; Omar Alzughaibi won Bug Bounty Cup.
• Sahl AI platform won CyberSeed and will represent MENA at Black Hat USA.

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