The Dubai Electronic Security Center – an affiliate of Digital Dubai – has kicked off its agenda of activities for this year’s Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference (GISEC Global 2023), taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 14 to 16 March.
Inaugurated by His Excellency Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and Public Security in Dubai, GISEC aims to shed light on effective and secure ways to communicate and do business in the cybersecurity and information technology sector in the region and around the world.
H.E. Khalfan visited the Dubai Electronic Security Center pavilion and explored a series of new projects and initiatives showcased at the stand, most notably, an AI-powered cybersecurity web extension called RZAM, and the 100 Days Challenge.
His Excellency Hamad Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai, said: “As the world grows more automated and hyperconnected every day, and as more of our activities – from the most mundane tasks to the biggest undertakings – continue to move online, the need to ensure safety and security of online operations becomes all the more imperative. With that in mind, investments in cybersecurity need to be a top priority for governments around the world.”
“Thankfully, here in Dubai and the UAE, we were fortunate to have a forward-thinking leadership who foresaw these challenges early on, and provided the resources and support to drive innovation in cybersecurity and encourage unconventional solutions in the sector, which ultimately laid the foundations for a safe, secure, and trusted digital city in Dubai,” H.E. Al Mansoori added. “This allows us to achieve our objective at Digital Dubai – which is to digitize every aspect of life for people in the city – into a concrete, secure reality.”
For his part, H.E. Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, Director General of the Dubai Electronic Security Center, said: “GISEC has cemented its position as one of the most prominent annual events and an ideal opportunity for exploring the future of cybersecurity and its implications on the economy and the society. We are delighted to be a permanent participant in this event, given its role as a platform to engage with local and international stakeholders, and decision-makers, in the field of information security, both from the government and the private sectors. Our agenda for the 2023 edition of the event is packed with new initiatives powered by the latest artificial intelligence systems, that encourage innovative ideas and solutions.”
The first of the two projects is RZAM, a web extension that automatically flags malicious websites while browsing, by scanning URLs to detect malware, scams, and phishing sites in real time. Developed by an all-Emirati team based in Dubai, RZAM will assist government entities and individual employees that work for the Dubai government, and uses AI, machine learning, and big data to constantly learn and improve its ability to recognize suspicious websites, provide a visual notification, and automatically block malicious websites for future safe browsing.
The second DESC project to be showcased at GISEC Global 2023 is the 100 Days Challenge. The project is an online challenge presented by the Dubai Cyber Innovation Park (DCIPark), part of the Dubai Electronic Security Center, that targets people of all age groups from around the world. Participants are required to address a given challenge by developing a working solution. Upon the end of the 100 days, contestants submit their solutions to DESC on the DCIPark websire (link here: https://dcipark.gov.ae/100-days-challenge/) for review and a chance to win a AED20,000 prize.
Digital Dubai and the Dubai Electronic Security Center welcome visitors at their pavilion at GISEC 2023, offering them an opportunity to explore Digital Dubai’s vision and plans to enhance security across communications networks and information systems in Dubai, in an effort to enhance cybersecurity in the city.
GISEC was launched in 2012 and has since grown to become the most influential exhibition and conference focusing on cybersecurity and digital technologies, as well as a prominent platform for experts and industry professionals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The event offers an opportunity to explore the latest trends, participate in learning activities, and communicate with prominent international companies from the sector.
14 March, 2023