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Why Exposure Management Is The Cyber Fix We Desperately Need
Why Exposure Management Is The Cyber Fix We Desperately Need

TECHx

time12-05-2025

  • Business
  • TECHx

Why Exposure Management Is The Cyber Fix We Desperately Need

Home » GISEC » GISEC 2025 » Why Exposure Management Is The Cyber Fix We Desperately Need Walid Natour, Senior Manager of Security Engineering at Tenable, underscores the importance of proactive cybersecurity through Tenable One Exposure Management Platform. Speaking to TECHx at GISEC , he highlights how exposure management is helping organizations gain complete visibility across their attack surface, prioritize threats, and secure both IT and OT environments before attackers can strike. TECHx: To start with, could you please introduce yourself and your role at Tenable? I lead the pre-sales team for the region at Tenable. I've been with Tenable for nearly eight years, and during this time, we've been helping customers across the region understand their cybersecurity challenges. We have a dedicated team covering multiple countries, working to strengthen cyber resilience. TECHx: What is Tenable's focus this year at GISEC? What new technologies or solutions are you showcasing? GISEC is a flagship event for us, and we're always excited to be here. It's a great platform to reconnect with our partners and customers. This year, our key focus is Tenable One Exposure Management Platform a proactive approach to cybersecurity that enables organizations to identify threats across their entire attack surface. It helps uncover misconfigurations, identity issues, and vulnerabilities, then guides customers on how to remediate and improve their security posture. We're also highlighting our capabilities in cloud security and how we consolidate everything into a unified platform. TECHx: In your view, what are the most critical threats organizations are currently facing? How is Tenable helping address them? One of the main challenges is visibility. With digital transformation and hybrid infrastructure, organizations are adopting diverse technologies, often without a comprehensive view of their entire asset inventory whether on-premises or in the cloud. The attack surface is expanding, giving cyber attackers more entry points. Tenable helps organizations achieve comprehensive visibility, enrich it with business context, and identify how to prioritize and remediate vulnerabilities effectively. TECHx: AI is a hot topic at GISEC, with nearly every vendor showcasing AI-driven solutions. How is Tenable leveraging AI in cybersecurity? Tenable has been integrating AI and machine learning into our solutions since 2019, starting with our Vulnerability Priority Rating (VPR), which helps organizations prioritize remediation based on risk. Since then, we've advanced our AI capabilities to include asset criticality prediction, vulnerability predictions, and data normalization. Through our data lake, we connect weaknesses across assets, whether they're related to identity, misconfigurations, or vulnerabilities, and highlight the weakest attack paths. This empowers organizations to take smarter, proactive action to protect their environments. TECHx: Looking ahead to 2025, what cyber threats should organizations be most prepared for? We're still seeing ransomware and phishing as common attack vectors. However, threats targeting critical infrastructure, Operational Technology (OT), and cloud environments are on the rise. Organizations need to shift from a purely reactive approach to a preventive strategy. At Tenable, we focus on proactive exposure management helping customers identify and address weaknesses before attackers exploit them. TECHx: Can you explain the growing importance of OT security? OT has been around for a long time, but it was traditionally isolated from IT and designed for specific operational tasks not security. Today, with the convergence of IT and OT, these environments are interconnected. A weakness in OT can lead to lateral movement into the broader network, affecting IT and critical business systems. This convergence is why CISOs are now responsible for both IT and OT security, and there's a clear need for unified tools and strategies to manage both effectively. TECHx: How important are events like GISEC for your business, and what value do they bring to the industry? GISEC is an essential platform for the cybersecurity community. It brings together stakeholders from various sectors and disciplines to exchange ideas, discuss challenges, and explore new technologies. For Tenable, it's an opportunity to showcase innovations, strengthen relationships with partners, and engage directly with customers to understand evolving needs. TECHx: Since you mentioned partners what is Tenable's strategy for working with partners in this region? Tenable is a 100% channel organization, meaning we transact exclusively through partners. We work closely with our channel ecosystem to ensure they're equipped with the right tools, training, and support to effectively serve customers. Our partners play a crucial role in delivering value, and we maintain a strong alignment across sales, technology, and service delivery.

Think Your OT Is Safe? Nozomi Networks Says It's Not
Think Your OT Is Safe? Nozomi Networks Says It's Not

TECHx

time10-05-2025

  • Business
  • TECHx

Think Your OT Is Safe? Nozomi Networks Says It's Not

Home » GISEC » GISEC 2025 » Think Your OT Is Safe? Nozomi Networks Says It's Not We spoke with Anton Shipulin, Industrial Cybersecurity Evangelist at Nozomi Networks , to explore what sets their presence apart this year, how AI is reshaping industrial cybersecurity, and why strategic partnerships and events like GISEC remain essential. TECHx: What makes your presence at GISEC unique compared to other trade shows you've attended? GISEC occupies a special place on our calendar because it's not only one of the largest cybersecurity events in the region, but it's also deeply focused on the unique challenges of the Gulf, Middle East, and Africa markets. Unlike more generalized trade shows, GISEC brings together regulators, critical-infrastructure operators, and regional integrators under one roof. Every year, we see a high concentration of organizations managing oil & gas, utilities, transportation, and manufacturing sectors where operational technology (OT) security is mission-critical. This year, we've made a concerted effort to bring almost our entire Middle East team not just sales and marketing, but also professional services, pre-sales engineers, and local R&D specialists. That means every visitor to our booth can have a deep, technical discussion in Arabic or English, schedule on-the-spot proof of value sessions, and even see live demonstrations in a sandbox environment. We believe that level of local expertise, combined with a global product roadmap, distinguishes Nozomi at GISEC. TECHx: What new solutions and innovations are you showcasing on your booth this year? We've expanded our platform in two key dimensions: Industrial W ireless & Point Sensors: Traditionally, OT threat detection required tapping into wired network segments. Now, with the rise of 802.11ax in industrial environments, we've developed lightweight wireless optimized agents and purpose-built point sensors that can be deployed on conveyors, robotic arms, and remote RTUs without long cabling runs. These devices deliver packet-level visibility and metadata directly into our analytics engine, enabling full asset inventory, vulnerability scanning, and anomaly detection even in hard-to-reach field sites. AI-Driven Correlation & Insights: Our R&D team has integrated new machine-learning models that correlate network threat events with process-level telemetry. For example, if a PLC receives a malformed Modbus payload and downstream temperature sensors show anomalous behavior, our AI will surface that correlation in real time, prioritizing it as a high-risk incident. We're also rolling out a 'What-If' sandbox within our portal customers can simulate new rules or network changes against historical data to see how our AI would have responded. This predictive capability helps operations teams validate controls before they push changes live. Between these two areas flexible deployment at the edge and contextual, AI-powered analytics we're giving industrial organizations the tools to scale security monitoring across increasingly complex environments. TECHx: You spoke about AI. How is AI revolutionizing cybersecurity, and how are you applying it in your solutions? AI's role in cybersecurity can be unpacked into three overlapping domains: Weaponization by Threat Actors: Criminals and nation-state groups are using generative AI to accelerate reconnaissance, craft zero-day exploits, and even personalize spear-phishing campaigns at scale. During the MITRE Engenuity ATT&CK Evaluations, we witnessed AI-generated payloads that mutated faster than signature databases could keep up. Recognizing that threat actors will continue to leverage these tools, we've embedded proactive AI threat-hunting models that continually train on live traffic, looking for novel patterns rather than waiting for known indicators. Attack Surface of AI Systems Themselves: As organizations deploy AI for automation, those systems become high-value targets. We've invested in 'AI Security Assurance'a set of pre-built modules to detect model-poisoning attempts, adversarial-input attacks, and unauthorized model-drift in our own platform. This not only hardens our offering but provides best-practice templates customers can apply to protect their in-house AI pipelines. AI for Defense & Automation: On the defense side, our AI automatically triages thousands of OT events per minute, correlates them with IT-side alerts (e.g., SIEM or SOAR feeds), and surfaces the top 1% that truly require human intervention. We also use reinforcement learning to optimize firewall and NAC policies: our system can suggest micro-segmentation rules based on observed communication patterns, simulate their impact in a digital twin, and even push approved changes automatically. The result is a closed-loop architecture where AI not only detects but helps remediate and continuously improve the security posture. TECHx: How does Nozomi structure its partnership ecosystem, and why is a partner-first approach so important? We view partnerships as the lifeblood of our global reach, and we categorize them into: Service Partners: Certified system integrators and managed-security providers who deploy and operate our solutions on behalf of end customers. They undergo extensive training both in formal labs and in the field alongside our engineers to become OT-focused cybersecurity specialists. In regions like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, our service partners embed Nozomi as the heart of multi-vendor ICS-SOC operations. Certified system integrators and managed-security providers who deploy and operate our solutions on behalf of end customers. They undergo extensive training both in formal labs and in the field alongside our engineers to become OT-focused cybersecurity specialists. In regions like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, our service partners embed Nozomi as the heart of multi-vendor ICS-SOC operations. Technology Partners: Companies whose products and platforms we integrate with to form broader security ecosystems. This includes SIEM vendors (e.g., Splunk, QRadar), firewall and NAC providers (e.g., Palo Alto Networks, Cisco), and cloud-based orchestration tools. Through open APIs and pre-built connectors, we ensure our OT intelligence can enrich, and be enriched by, third-party data, enabling end-to-end automation. For instance, when our platform flags a critical vulnerability on a controller, we can automatically notify the ticketing system in ServiceNow and trigger a patch-testing workflow in HPE OneView. Because no single vendor can address every use case, our partner-first model ensures clients get a best-of-breed solution tailored to their existing investments and strategic roadmap. TECHx: Many vendors host their own exclusive events, why are broad industry conferences like GISEC still valuable? Vendor events are great for deep dives into a specific ecosystem, but industry conferences like GISEC offer three unique benefits: Cross-Pollination of Ideas: You're rubbing shoulders with CISOs from oil & gas, heads of threat intelligence from financial services, and policy-makers from the region's cybersecurity authorities. That diversity fuels innovation and helps uncover blind spots what works in one sector can often be adapted for another. Ecosystem Alignment: With so many moving parts in modern security architectures (cloud, edge, IoT/IIoT, 5G), no single event can cover all bases. GISEC's broad agenda from quantum-safe cryptography to the latest in drone security helps attendees map out how emerging technologies intersect, discover new standards, and align on best practices. Regulatory & Community Engagement: In the GCC region, governments and regulators play an outsized role in shaping cybersecurity requirements. GISEC brings those stakeholders to the same table as vendors and end customers. You get real-time updates on national strategies, compliance roadmaps (e.g., NESA in the UAE, NSA in Saudi), and can even participate in shaping them through working groups or speaking sessions. Despite advancements in technology, Nozomi Networks stresses that many OT systems remain vulnerable to cyberattacks. By leveraging cutting-edge AI and forming strategic partnerships, Nozomi Networks is working to bridge this gap, ensuring OT systems stay secure amid increasing threats.

Inside Dubai AI Week: AI Strategy with Hamed Al Shirawi
Inside Dubai AI Week: AI Strategy with Hamed Al Shirawi

TECHx

time23-04-2025

  • Business
  • TECHx

Inside Dubai AI Week: AI Strategy with Hamed Al Shirawi

While Dubai AI Week energizes the city, drawing tech giants, policymakers, academics, and global innovators, we sat down with Hamed Al Shirawi, Director of Dubai AI Week and a key leader at the Dubai Center for Artificial Intelligence under the Dubai Future Foundation. He shares his personal journey, the vision behind AI Week, and how Dubai is shaping the future of artificial intelligence. TECHx: Could you share a bit about yourself and how your journey led you to your current role? I've worked in many great organizations, always with a focus on building Dubai's ecosystem, especially when it comes to business and innovation. Since joining the Dubai Future Foundation, I've been deeply involved with advanced technologies, particularly in how we can use them to strengthen Dubai's ecosystem through strategic platforms and initiatives. Today, I'm part of the Dubai Center for Artificial Intelligence, which operates under the Dubai Future Foundation. Our work focuses on enabling Dubai's AI ecosystem across sectors through collaborations, events, and real-world applications. TECHx: Dubai has hosted AI-related events in the past. What made this the right time to launch a full Dubai AI Week? AI is not new to Dubai, and Dubai is certainly not new to AI. Yes, we've had events like the AI Show in the past, but with AI Week, we've taken a more comprehensive and strategic approach. We created a dynamic, week-long platform that brings together our efforts and those of the wider ecosystem, all under one umbrella. Some initiatives are in their first year, others are in their second or third. What's unique is the collective focus: we're showcasing AI across different sectors and use cases, and we're engaging a diverse audience through different types of events, from immersive experiences to high-level policy discussions. TECHx: What are some of the key events taking place during AI Week? We kicked off with the AI Retreat, which brought together policymakers and influential leaders to move the needle on key AI priorities. Then there's the Dubai Assembly, where we're hosting global leaders like OpenAI, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Meta, Google Cloud, and IBM. Government entities like the Digital Dubai Authority and Dubai Health Authority are also here, not just attending but showcasing live installations and immersive experiences. We've curated a mix of workshops, side sessions, and panel discussions, all aimed at driving meaningful conversations and collaboration. TECHx: One of the most talked-about events is the Global Prompt Engineering Championship. What can you tell us about that? Yes, it's one of the highlights of the week. The Global Prompt Engineering Championship is an exciting, live competition where participants from around the world compete in prompt engineering across four categories: coding, gaming, film, and art. They're competing for a prize pool of AED 1 million. It's judged live by a panel, and the atmosphere is incredibly immersive and inspiring. This event not only highlights the creative and technical side of AI but also the global talent driving innovation in this space. TECHx: Are there educational or youth-centered initiatives involved this week? Absolutely. We're running a special program with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority to introduce AI-focused content in schools. There's also Machines Can See, an event happening over two days that focuses on academia and data science. Another notable event is the AI Festival, hosted by the International Financial Centre (IFC), which explores AI's role in finance, investment, and fintech. Each event targets a different segment of the ecosystem, ensuring that AI Week is inclusive and far-reaching. TECHx: Looking ahead, what do you believe is the future of AI, particularly for Dubai? As you mentioned, Dubai is at the forefront and has always aimed to be ahead, when it comes to adopting transformative technologies. We're constantly exploring opportunities, identifying challenges, and turning those challenges into opportunities. At AI Week, we're already seeing some of the best AI solutions from around the world. So just imagine what's next. While I can't predict the future, I can confidently say that Dubai will be leading it. TECHx: With the rapid growth of AI, cybersecurity is a major global concern. How does Dubai plan to address that? Like any transformative technology, AI presents both opportunities and challenges. And yes, cybersecurity is one of the major ones. But this isn't new, we saw the same when the internet first emerged, and people were understandably concerned. What's important is how we address these challenges. By bringing together the right experts, fostering collaboration, and creating synergies, we can not only mitigate risks but also turn those challenges into opportunities. Many of the participants here are already engaging in those important conversations. TECHx: Finally, what message would you like to share with the people attending AI Week and those following it from afar? We've created this platform, an entire week filled with opportunities across Dubai. If you're not involved in AI yet, you're already falling behind. It's time to explore the opportunities that AI presents. And if you are an early adopter, this is the place to discover what AI really means for your field—whether it's education, healthcare, business, or any other sector. Learn what's out there, adopt it, and use it to boost efficiency, productivity, and innovation. There's something here for everyone, and we're excited to welcome you. By Sehrish Tariq, Content Strategist, Events & Publications at TECHx Media

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