Latest news with #JohnnyKaram
Gulf Business
22-07-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Cohesity's Johnny Karam, Mark Molyneux on raising cyber resilience among UAE employees
Images: Supplied The UAE workforce is showing strong signs of cybersecurity readiness, outpacing their EMEA peers in areas such as threat awareness and trust in their organisations' ability to recover from attacks. That's according to new research from Cohesity, a global leader in AI-powered data security and resilience. The survey, conducted in partnership with OnePoll, captured responses from 500 full-time UAE employees, revealing that 86 percent believe they can identify a cyber threat, and nearly 90 percent trust their employer's cyber resilience. But the study also sheds light on lingering behavioural gaps, with some employees admitting they might delay reporting due to fear of blame or confusion about protocols. Cohesity leaders say this is the next frontier—empowering teams to not just recognise risks but confidently act on them without hesitation. With the UAE's national cybersecurity ambitions accelerating, businesses now need to focus on turning awareness into action. Gulf Business sat down with Your latest research shows that while 86 per cent of UAE employees believe they can identify a cyber threat, deeper knowledge still seems lacking. What does this confidence gap reveal about current training methods, and how should organisations close it? Johnny Karam: The fact that 86 percent of UAE employees feel confident in identifying cyber threats is a strong reflection of the country's focus on digital awareness. This high level of awareness reflects the UAE Cybersecurity Council's long-term investment in public education, including programs for students, women in tech, and the broader community, part of a strategy stretching from 2020 to 2030. However, our study shows that this confidence does not always translate into deeper understanding or preparedness. Many employees may recognise the signs of a potential attack but feel uncertain about what to do next. This gap reveals that current training approaches are still too focused on awareness rather than action. To close this gap, organisations need to evolve their training methods. It is no longer enough to explain what phishing or ransomware is in theory. What works best is practical, scenario-based training that prepares employees to respond under pressure. When individuals know exactly what steps to take and feel confident doing so, they become active contributors to the organisation's defence. It is about building the confidence to act, not just the ability to identify. One of the more striking insights is that fear of blame and confusion delays incident reporting. What steps can companies take to foster a culture of psychological safety and quick escalation in cybersecurity? Johnny Karam: This is one of the most human yet critical findings from our research. In the UAE, 46 percent of employees who hesitated to report a threat said it was because they feared blame or were unsure whether their concern would be taken seriously. That hesitation can be costly. In cybersecurity, delays can make the difference between containment and escalation. It's like spotting a fire in your office — no one hesitates to raise the alarm. That's the level of instinctive response we need when it comes to cybersecurity threats. Organisations need to address this by creating a culture of psychological safety, where reporting is always encouraged and never penalised, and this is where leadership plays a vital role in reinforcing that message. Employees must feel supported, and clear reporting channels should be made visible and simple to follow. Even if an alert turns out to be a false alarm, flagging it is always the right move. Encouraging early reporting and removing the stigma around it helps create a stronger, faster-responding organisation. It's also about cultural maturity. Just as the UAE focused early on education, the next phase is building psychological safety into company cultures, where 'see it, say it, sort it' becomes second nature. Ransomware continues to evolve, yet your data shows that nearly one in four employees does not fully understand it. How can organisations move from theoretical awareness to scenario-based, hands-on preparedness? Mark Molyneux: Ransomware is no longer a rare or abstract threat. It is one of the most pressing challenges facing organisations today. The fact that 86% of employees in the UAE understand what ransomware is and how it spreads shows that awareness is extremely is extremely high, which is largely due to the UAE Cyber Security Council's approach to increasing security awareness across the Emirates. But to reach the step of cyber-resilience, we need to move beyond surface-level awareness. Scenario-based training, such as simulated attacks and role-playing exercises, is far more effective in preparing employees to respond confidently and quickly. In addition, organisations can benefit from expert-led incident simulations or even partnerships with external response teams, like our Cohesity Cyber Event Response Team (CERT), to build muscle memory in high-pressure scenarios. When people are familiar with the pressure of a real-time incident, they are more likely to take the right action. Awareness is important, but preparedness is what ultimately determines whether an organisation can contain an incident or fall victim to it. What are some examples of human-centric cybersecurity training that have worked particularly well in the UAE or broader Middle East region? Johnny Karam: In this region, the most effective training approaches are those that account for cultural context and local realities. We have seen companies run phishing simulations, real-time cyber escape rooms, and role-specific drills that make the training highly engaging and memorable. These methods encourage active participation and help employees internalise what to do in the face of a threat. The strongest results come when training is localised, conducted in Arabic where relevant, aligned with regional threat trends, and inclusive of leadership participation. When executives lead by example, it reinforces the idea that cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility. We are seeing a clear shift across sectors like banking and healthcare, where security awareness is being embedded not just as a requirement, but as a core part of organisational culture. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving — how does Cohesity stay ahead of the curve? Johnny Karam: Cybersecurity is an arms race, and staying ahead takes relentless innovation. At Cohesity, we invest double the R&D of our closest competitor. That allows us to anticipate threats like AI-generated phishing and craft real-time responses, from behaviour-based access controls to early threat detection. But it's not just about tech — we work with a network of cybersecurity partners and an expert advisory board to stay on top of tomorrow's risks, today. How do these findings align with the UAE Cybersecurity Council's broader goals, and how is Cohesity engaging with regulators or national stakeholders to support these priorities? Johnny Karam: The UAE Cybersecurity Council has taken decisive steps to strengthen national cyber resilience. The emphasis on public-private collaboration and secure digital transformation aligns closely with what we are seeing in the field. Our findings reflect this momentum, for example, 67 percent of UAE employees say they would report suspicious activity directly to cybersecurity teams, which is a strong indicator of engagement and awareness. We work closely with government entities and industry stakeholders, participating in briefings, knowledge-sharing sessions, and collaborative initiatives to build operational readiness. Our AI-powered platform is aligned with the UAE's focus on proactive defence and digital trust. True resilience depends on both technology and people, and we are committed to supporting both dimensions. With hybrid work environments and increasing digital transformation across sectors, how is Cohesity helping clients in the region build not just secure infrastructure but a more cyber-aware workforce? Mark Molyneux: The shift to hybrid work has broadened the attack surface for organisations, making it even more critical to adopt an integrated approach to security. At Cohesity, we not only help our clients protect data across all environments, from on-premise systems to the cloud and edge, but we also work with them to build awareness and confidence within their teams. Our research shows that 89 percent of UAE employees trust their organisation's ability to recover from attacks, and 66 percent have received cybersecurity training in the past year. These are positive indicators. However, we aim to go further by supporting secure decision-making across every level of the organisation. This includes simplifying processes, integrating automation where possible, and ensuring that employees have both the tools and the understanding needed to respond quickly. Cyber resilience is not a department; it is a culture, and we help our clients embed it across their workforce. Tell us about Cohesity's offerings. Mark Molyneux: Cohesity is a global leader in data security and resilience, trusted by more than 13,600 organisations worldwide, including over 85 of the Fortune 100. Following our integration with Veritas' enterprise data protection business, we now offer one of the most comprehensive platforms available, capable of protecting, managing, and recovering data whether it is stored on-premise, in the cloud, or at the edge. What makes us different is how we combine advanced threat detection and rapid recovery with simplicity and ease of use. Our AI-powered solutions help organisations identify threats early, isolate incidents, and recover quickly, all while reducing complexity. In today's environment, where cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated, speed and reliability are essential. But we also recognise that technology alone is not enough. That is why we work closely with our customers to build security awareness, support their teams, and align with their long-term resilience goals. Cybersecurity is ultimately about protecting people, operations, and trust, and Cohesity is here to help organisations do exactly that.
Zawya
21-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Cohesity Gaia integrates with Microsoft 365 Copilot
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Cohesity, the leader in AI-powered data security, today announced the availability of its Cohesity Gaia integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot. The integration allows knowledge workers across an organization to tap into Cohesity backup data directly from the Microsoft 365 Copilot interface to gain insights and inform better business decisions. 'This integration marks a major leap forward in how enterprises can transform dormant data into strategic intelligence,' said Johnny Karam, Managing Director and VP, International Emerging Region, Cohesity. 'By giving users secure, AI-driven access to legacy data directly within Microsoft 365 Copilot, we are turning backup into a real-time business asset. In the UAE, where visionary initiatives like the Digital Government Strategy and the National AI Strategy 2031 are reshaping public and private sector performance, this capability empowers organisations to lead with data, act faster and stay ahead of evolving demands.' A first-to-market innovation for unlocking the potential of backup data, Cohesity Gaia combines generative AI, large language models, and retrieval augmented generation techniques. As part of the integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot, users can simply enter conversational questions via their Microsoft 365 Copilot interface. Cohesity Gaia searches across vast amounts of backup data effortlessly, pinpoints critical information quickly, and surfaces actionable information for any department or job function. Granular, role-based access controls limit responses to align with user permissions, protecting sensitive data. 'Generative AI has created a tipping point for enterprise AI deployments. The next phase of this journey will involve more AI-to-AI communications and expectations for transformative business outcomes,' said Chantrelle Nielsen, group product manager, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft. 'Microsoft 365 Copilot integration with Cohesity reflects this progression, giving enterprises more ways to take advantage of AI from the convenience of a single interface with a consistent user experience.' 'Cohesity and Microsoft continue to build on their partnership, working together to safeguard data and strengthen organizations' cyber resilience. This integration extends the value proposition even further to bring new benefits by instantly putting high-quality backup data at the fingertips of users across the enterprise,' said Jared Crowley, senior director of Security & Software Partners, SHI International Corp. 'The end result is faster, better decision making and fresh opportunities for maximizing customers' investments in Cohesity and Microsoft.' Cohesity Gaia is a subscription-based service. Access to Cohesity Gaia capabilities within the Microsoft 365 Copilot is currently available at no additional cost for subscribers of both Cohesity Gaia and Microsoft 365 Copilot. For more on the integration and key benefits, visit the Cohesity blog and tune into the Cohesity Tech Insights podcast episode 'Unlocking AI powered insights with Agents and Frontier Models.' About Cohesity Cohesity is the leader in AI-powered data security. Over 13,600 enterprise customers, including over 85 of the Fortune 100 and nearly 70% of the Global 500, rely on Cohesity to strengthen their resilience while providing Gen AI insights into their vast amounts of data. Formed from the combination of Cohesity with Veritas' enterprise data protection business, the company's solutions secure and protect data on-premises, in the cloud, and at the edge. Backed by NVIDIA, IBM, HPE, Cisco, AWS, Google Cloud, and others, Cohesity is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, with offices around the globe.
Hi Dubai
23-06-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
UAE Employees Surpass European Counterparts in Cyber Readiness, Cohesity Study Shows
The UAE workforce has emerged as a regional leader in cybersecurity readiness, outperforming its European counterparts in a new international study conducted by data security firm Cohesity. The study, which assessed full-time employees in the UAE, UK, France, and Germany, revealed that 86% of UAE respondents feel confident in their ability to detect cyber threats—surpassing the UK (81%), Germany (80%), and France (62%). In addition, nearly 89% of UAE employees trust their organisations' capacity to prevent and recover from cyberattacks. These findings highlight the UAE's ongoing commitment to digital resilience and AI-driven cyber defence, aligning with its national cybersecurity vision. Government-backed efforts—including regulatory reforms, infrastructure upgrades, and advanced threat detection systems overseen by the UAE Cyber Security Council—have significantly strengthened the country's cyber posture. The research also pointed to strong employee engagement. Two-thirds of UAE workers said they would report suspicious activity, while over half would alert their IT departments directly—figures notably higher than those in the UK, Germany, and France. Experts attribute this proactive mindset to regular cybersecurity training, with 66% of UAE employees having received awareness programmes in the past year. Commenting on the results, Johnny Karam of Cohesity praised the UAE's leadership in the EMEA region, citing a 'strong national focus on AI and digital transformation. ' His colleague Mark Molyneux added that the UAE's model shows how prioritising employee awareness is key to tackling modern cyber threats. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Channel Post MEA
23-06-2025
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
Cohesity: UAE Workforce Ahead Of Its EMEA Peers In Cyber Confidence And Readiness
Cohesity has released the findings of a new study examining employee preparedness in the face of cyber threats. The research shows that the UAE workforce is ahead of its EMEA peers across several indicators of cyber-readiness, underscoring the country's progress toward its national vision for digital resilience and AI-enabled defence. Conducted among full-time office workers in the UAE, United Kingdom, France, and Germany, the study assessed how confident employees feel in identifying and responding to cyberattacks. Among the standout results, 86 percent of UAE employees expressed confidence in recognising a cyber threat—compared to 81 percent in the UK, 80 percent in Germany, and just 62 percent in France. Nearly nine in ten (89%) UAE respondents also said they trust their organisation's ability to prevent and recover from attacks. Beyond awareness, the study reveals encouraging signs of action-oriented behaviour. Two-thirds of UAE employees say they would report suspicious activity to their cybersecurity team, showing an apt response, in comparison to respondents from the UK (61%), Germany (53%), and France (48%). Amongst other UAE employees, over half would notify their IT department. This instinct to act is supported by ongoing education: 66 percent have received some form of cybersecurity training in the past year. However, the research also highlights areas where further progress is needed. A small but notable group of employees say they would either attempt to resolve a threat on their own (15%) or turn to personal contacts first (19%), indicating a gap in internal reporting clarity, and a potentially risk to the entire organisation that mis-understanding of how important it is that reporting through the correct processes is critical to the quickest resolution of any potential risk of cyber attack . Among those hesitant to report incidents correctly, the leading reasons include fear of blame or confusion (46%), a belief that it isn't their responsibility (27%), and worry about overreacting (14%). Johnny Karam, Managing Director and Vice President, International Emerging Region at Cohesity, commented: 'The findings reflect the UAE's clear leadership in cybersecurity readiness across the EMEA region. With initiatives driven by the UAE Cybersecurity Council and a strong national focus on AI and digital transformation, it's no surprise that employee awareness is rising in step with enterprise investment.' 'What stands out is not just awareness, but the willingness to act. The next step is closing the gap—equipping employees with the tools, clarity, and – perhaps most importantly – confidence to respond without hesitation. If we educate all employees of the serious risks to the organisation of not correctly reporting any potential cyber risks they see, encouraging a mentality that they will not get in trouble for doing so, and highlighting their individual capability to maximise the speed of response all UAE organisations can be more resilient. At Cohesity, we believe true cyber resilience is built on both technology and a culture of empowered people,' Johnny continued. Workforce Preparedness in Step with UAE's Cyber Vision The UAE's continued investment in cybersecurity infrastructure, most recently through advanced threat detection systems activated under the direction of the UAE Cybersecurity Council, demonstrates a firm national commitment to securing the digital landscape. The study shows that employees are already aligning with this vision: Two-thirds of the respondents have undergone cybersecurity training, with 39 percent participating in multiple sessions in the past year. Over half (51%) would report a suspicious incident to IT, while 67% would notify a cybersecurity team, demonstrating a willingness to escalate issues through formal channels. 77 percent are familiar with the term 'ransomware', showing widespread awareness of key threat types. Awareness of cyber threats is on the rise in the UAE, with 77% of employees familiar with the term 'ransomware'. This strong baseline offers an ideal foundation to build upon. By expanding education beyond surface-level awareness to include real-world examples and practical training, companies can empower their teams with the confidence and clarity needed to respond effectively. Bridging the Gap Between Awareness and Action While confidence in reporting and escalating potential ransomware threats within the organisation is high, the study reveals opportunities to further strengthen internal reporting behaviour. Around 15% say they would attempt to resolve a threat themselves, and 19% would first alert their personal contacts, These responses highlight a proactive mindset, which organisations can harness by further strengthening internal reporting protocols and promoting awareness of the appropriate escalation paths. Among the smaller group of employees who expressed hesitation in reporting a potential incident, the most common reasons included: UAE employees showed a strong sense of fear of blame or not understanding the issue (46%), while EMEA employees had a more neutral perspective (UK – 26%, Germany – 20%, and France – 15%). 27 percent of the UAE respondents believed it wasn't their responsibility, showing a much bigger gap to appreciating their role in their organisations cyber safety as compared to their EMEA counterparts (UK -10%, Germany – 12%, and France 19%). 14 percent UAE employees feared overreacting, in-tune with 18 percent of German respondents 15 percent from the UK and 11 percent of French respondents showing similar sentiment. These insights present a valuable opportunity to reinforce a culture of psychological safety, where reporting is easy, supported, and encouraged. By removing the fear of repercussions and clearly defining roles, organisations can build employee confidence and ensure every individual knows how to respond swiftly and correctly. The UAE Advantage: A Workforce Ready to Respond With the UAE government actively advancing national cybersecurity capabilities and frameworks, the country is uniquely positioned to lead by example. Employees are ready and willing: confidence is high, training is widespread, and the instinct to act is evident. To fully unlock this potential, organisations must ensure that every employee, from the frontline to the C-suite, knows their role in safeguarding the business. Mark Molyneux, CTO, EMEA at Cohesity, added: 'These findings confirm what we're seeing across the region: employees are increasingly aware of cyber risks and are willing to step up, which is largely due to the UAE Cyber Security Council's approach to increasing security awareness across the Emirates. But this awareness must be matched with action. The future of cybersecurity will be defined by how quickly organisations can enable secure, informed decisions at every level. That means embedding cyber resilience into daily operations, investing in smart automation, closing the gap between detection and response, and instilling a culture that supports employees in raising concerns early in a safe space. In fast-moving threat environments, AI-powered data security is not a luxury, it's an operational necessity.' Methodology The research was carried out by OnePoll between 28 May – 2 June 2025. The survey captured responses from 500 full-time office workers in the UAE to understand employee beliefs, behaviours, and preparedness about ransomware and other cyber threats. OnePoll is a certified member of the Market Research Society (MRS), adheres to its Code of Conduct, and complies with ESOMAR 37 guidelines for online research. The organisation is also a member of the British Polling Council and Cyber Essentials Plus certified for meeting rigorous cybersecurity standards.
TECHx
10-04-2025
- Business
- TECHx
Cohesity Teams with Google Cloud on Cyber Defense
Cohesity has announced an expanded partnership with Google Cloud to help organizations tackle increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. With enterprises losing an average of $540,000 per hour in downtime, the need for robust cyber resilience has never been more critical. This collaboration introduces new AI-powered solutions that enable earlier threat detection, faster incident response, and rapid data recovery. As a result, organizations can reduce business risk and minimize disruption. Key updates include the integration of Google Threat Intelligence into the Cohesity Data Cloud, offering enhanced threat detection using insights from over 450 global threat actors and 1,100+ annual investigations. This enables faster identification and containment of risks. Cohesity is also partnering with Mandiant, a Google company, for incident response. Cohesity's CERT team and Mandiant's experts will now collaborate to help joint customers mitigate cyberattacks, recover critical data, and reduce downtime. Another major development is the ability to create a Cloud Isolated Recovery Environment (CIRE) in Google Cloud. Built with Mandiant, this solution allows organizations to securely restore operations after an attack. Additionally, Cohesity is integrating with Google Security Operations to enhance customers' data protection and security posture. To help businesses derive more value from their data, Cohesity is also launching new AI-driven features. Through the integration of Cohesity Gaia with Google Agentspace, customers will be able to search across enterprise data quickly and securely. With Gemini models from Google Cloud, users gain advanced reasoning capabilities for deeper insights. Furthermore, the integration of Google Gemini with Cohesity Gaia strengthens Cohesity's AI-powered enterprise search assistant, enabling intelligent data discovery and analysis. Stephen Orban, VP at Google Cloud, stated that the partnership will help organizations improve cyber resilience and accelerate digital transformation. Johnny Karam, VP at Cohesity, added that the collaboration aims to reduce both legislative and reputational risks while empowering businesses with AI-enhanced data access. Vikram Kanodia, VP at Cohesity, emphasized that the joint solutions are designed to protect business data and turn it into a strategic asset. The new integrations with Google Cloud are expected to be available by summer 2025. The Mandiant partnership and integration with Google Security Operations are already live.
