The 11th edition of GISEC Global, taking place from 14-16 March 2023 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), is set to host a record 500-plus cybersecurity brands, 300 leading InfoSec and cybersecurity speakers, and 1,000 of the world’s top ethical hackers to address opportunities in a global cybersecurity market valued at $2 trillion by McKinsey & Company.
GISEC Global 2023, organised by DWTC and hosted by the UAE Cybersecurity Council, takes place against the background of a growing, US$11.5 trillion global digital economy that is confronted by an unprecedented level of cyber threats that are expected to cost the world $10.5 trillion annually by 2025.
The foremost cybersecurity event in the Middle East is all set to become an unmatched forum for the worldwide cybersecurity fraternity, bringing together top brands and experts in the field for a three-day conference packed with sessions, speeches, product unveilings, partner seminars, interactive events, briefings, and other activities.
Tech titans Huawei, Microsoft, Cisco, Honeywell, and du will be out in full force at the annual three-day event, alongside headline ground-breaking infosec companies, including Spire Solutions, CPX, Crowdstrike, Mandiant, Pentera, Pvotal, Port53, Cloudfare, Edgio, Secureworks, Synack, Threatlocker, Votiro, Spidersilk, and Waterfall.
H.E. Dr Mohamed Hamad Al-Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council, stressed the importance of collaboration to upskill talent and elevate cyberculture in a post-pandemic world.
Dr Al-Kuwaiti said “There’s a renewed sense of urgency for collaboration because cybersecurity rules have changed since the pandemic and the rapid rise of threats in new digital ecosystems like the metaverse and quantum computing.”
He added “To define the new cybersecurity paradigms, we are gathering an extraordinary league of cybersecurity leaders at GISEC Global. The UAE Cybersecurity Council fully supports GISEC’s initiative of creating an inner circle for InfoSec leaders to discuss critical challenges and help build the cyber resilience of businesses and enterprises in the UAE and the world.”
Dr Aloysius Cheang, Chief Security Officer at Huawei Middle East & Central Asia, said the fluidness of the digital economy calls for vigilance.
Dr Cheang said “As such, we take building insights into the cybersecurity industry and business environment very seriously, as these are critical inputs ensuring we are up-to-date in managing the cyber risk landscape.”
Dr Cheang added “GISEC Global is the platform of choice for us to issue a call for action, bringing all the stakeholders together in a unified and proactive approach to cybersecurity, while also demonstrating the value Huawei brings, helping not only to safeguard the journey of digital transformation but to be a beacon of light that will spotlight our customers’ cybersecurity and privacy protection capabilities.”
At GISEC Global 2023, the Hack-O-Sphere will be introduced, which is a completely immersive zone showcasing an array of exciting live cyber competitions, certified training sessions from SANS and EC Council, and a privileged opportunity to explore the UAE Cybersecurity Council’s state-of-the-art National Security Operations Centre. With over 1,000 ethical hackers from around the world and the local region slated to participate, the event will provide a platform to confront and resolve actual security risks.
The first CyTaka World Cyber Championship, presented by Israeli company CyTaka in collaboration with the UAE Cybersecurity Council and CyberGate, will be the primary attraction. The world’s most lucrative Capture the Flag (CTF) cyber challenge will see cyberheroes from all over the world flex their digital muscles for the chance to earn US$1 million.
CyTaka’s CEO and founder Doron Amir said the anonymity of cyber-attacks means cross-border collaboration is critical
Amir said “The cyber enemy is anonymous and can attack anyone, Cyber criminals don’t care where victims were born or what their nationality is.”
Amir added “Initiatives such as the World Cyber Championship bring people together in competition, and share methodology of defence and attack, so we can understand the future, not the past, and prepare for a resilient and safer cyber future for all.”
Hack-O-Sphere will see the return of the Bug Bounty Challenge, already a Guinness World Record holder as the world’s largest live bug bounty event, with more than 200 ethical hackers and bounty hunters conducting live penetration testing in a search for security bugs in real-life products.
Other competitions include the Cyber Maze by Port53, inviting hackers to navigate their way through a series of locked doors in a maze before reaching an endpoint; the UAE Ministry of Interior’s Find the prize (FTP) competition for fresh graduates; the Cyberthon competition; and the Badge Hacking Zone by GISEC Global’s Strategic Partner, du.
GISEC 2023 is set to explore the most crucial cybersecurity issues confronting businesses and governmental bodies. With over 200 hours of in-depth content featuring more than 300 prominent ethical hackers and InfoSec experts, the event’s most extensive conference program ever will present hacking sessions and panel discussions. The conference program is distributed across six halls and nine stages, including the Main Stage, Government Stage, The Global Cybersecurity Congress, Critical Infrastructure Dome, Dark Stage, Nation Stage, Cyber Stars, Xlabs, INSPIRE, Hack360, and the Academy.
GISEC Global will feature a premier line-up of top hackers and headline speakers, including H.E. Dr Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council; Joe ‘Kingpin’ Grand, a cyber security legend who hacked a US$2 million crypto wallet;
Hieu Ngo, a reformed fraudster who single-handedly stole the personal data of 200 million U.S. citizens; Bryce Case Jr. aka ‘Ytcracker’, a US-based Hacker and Entrepreneur, who gained notoriety for defacing the website of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre; and Jayson E. Street, a US-based world-class hacker & author who notoriously robbed banks across five continents.
GISEC Global 2023 will also introduce UnLock – the GISEC Cyber Stars Pitch Competition, where nearly 100 cybersecurity start-ups will reveal their innovative solutions shaping the future of cybersecurity while connecting with government officials, investors, IT security and corporate buyers, mentors, prospects and influential disruptors.
The live pitch competition takes place as investments in the cybersecurity sector continue to dominate the global start-up ecosystem. According to financial advisory firm Momentum Cyber, US$79 billion in venture capital has been raised for cybersecurity start-ups across more than 4,200 deals since 2018.
UnLock will comprise three categories: Best Global Start-up, Best Regional Start-up, and for academia, the Most Innovative Idea, with a prize pool of AED100,000 cash, helping the winners on their way to potentially becoming the next cyber unicorn.
GISEC Global 2023 is scheduled to occur with the official government cyber security partner being the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC), the Ministry of Interior, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), and Dubai Police acting as official supporters, all under the theme “Connecting minds, boosting cyber resilience.” The event is predicted to have over 35,000 attendees from more than 100 nations.
Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President for Events Management at DWTC said “The cybersecurity challenge facing organisations is formidable. By bringing together the world’s leading cybersecurity experts and digital trailblazers, GISEC Global paves the way for regional organisations to demystify the complex cyber threat landscape and unearth real-world solutions from global experts to build cyber-resilient digital businesses.
LohMirmand added “Our expanded presence and mandate demonstrate that we don’t believe cyberspace is lost to cybercriminals. We believe that working together within broad ecosystems, with the help of the advanced solutions displayed at GISEC Global, organisations and nations can turn the tide on cybercriminals and emerge stronger and more resilient.”
