UAE Security Leaders Call for Comprehensive Cybersecurity Upgrades

A recent survey conducted by Trellix as part of its Mind of the CISO initiative has unveiled that over 95% of security leaders in the UAE emphasize the urgent need for enhancements in people, processes, and technology following a cybersecurity incident. The report, titled “Mind of the CISO: Behind the Breach,” aims to shed light on the challenges faced by CISOs and high-level security decision-makers after experiencing a cyber attack.

Key findings highlight that those who underwent a recent cyber incident believe that future prevention hinges on the training of personnel, technological advancements, and process enhancements. Notably, 96% of respondents expressed the desire for improvements in processes, alongside the unanimous call for advancements in people and technology.

The research focused on how gaps in people, technology, and processes contributed to major cyber incidents. In terms of people-readiness, 64% cited incidents being missed due to resource constraints, such as occurring during off-shift hours. Over half (52%) acknowledged a lack of IT skills to handle incident complexity. Technology gaps were identified by 52% as contributing to security incidents, with 40% stating that IT and security tools lacked adequate visibility.

Furthermore, technological shortcomings led to process collapses, with 52% indicating that workflows couldn’t be fully executed due to the absence of necessary tools. Almost half (48%) reported excessive reliance on manual processes, impacting mean time to detect (MTTD) or repair (MTTR). Insufficiently documented processes (44%) and lack of contextual understanding from disconnected security controls (44%) were also highlighted.

Post-breach analysis showed that 60% of respondents reevaluated their organization’s cybersecurity strategy, emphasizing the necessity for change to prevent repeat incidents. The report concluded that a balanced approach to people, processes, and technology is crucial for effective cybersecurity.

Addressing the benefits of Extended Detection and Response (XDR), 72% of respondents cited faster and more efficient threat detection and response. Those without XDR at the time of their incident believed it would have lessened the impact (100%) and prevented the incident altogether (91%). Trellix’s General Manager in the UAE, Vibin Shaju, emphasized the significance of XDR, calling it one of the best cybersecurity investments available today. Shaju highlighted XDR’s ability to provide consolidated visibility, automated analysis, and improved investigative efficiency, ultimately reducing the total cost of ownership for the security stack. Shaju concluded by underlining the transformative impact of XDR on empowering security professionals to proactively combat threat actors and elevate morale in Security Operations Centers (SOCs).