CyberArk has released a new global research report that shows how siloed approaches to securing human and machine identities are driving identity-based attacks across enterprises and their ecosystems.

The CyberArk 2024 Identity Security Threat Landscape Report provides unique perspectives on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) boosts cyber defenses as well as attacker capabilities; increases the pace at which identities are created in new and complex environments; and highlights the scale of identity-related breaches affecting organizations.

The report, which surveyed 2,400 cybersecurity decision makers in more than 18 countries including the UAE, found that 99% of UAE organizations had two or more identity-related breaches in the past year, indicating the scale of the new challenges.

Cyber Risk Rises as Machine Identity Security Treated Differently to Humans

While the quantity of both human and machine identities is growing quickly, the report found that security professionals globally rate machines as the riskiest identity type. In part due to widespread adoption of multi-cloud strategies and growing utilization of AI-related programs like Large Language Models, machine identities are being created in vast numbers. Many of these identities require sensitive or privileged access.

However, contrary to how human access to sensitive data is managed, machine identities often lack identity security controls, and therefore represent a widespread and potent threat vector ready to be exploited. Key findings of the report include:

• 99% of UAE organizations had two or more identity-related breaches in the past year.
• Machine identities are the #1 cause of identity growth in the UAE and are considered by respondents to be the riskiest identity type.
• 94% of UAE organizations expect identities to grow 3x or more in the next 12 months
• 28% of UAE organizations cited concerns over their software supply chain as a key concern for securing machine identities.

“The digital initiatives that drive organizations forward inevitably create waves of new human and machine identities. Because many of these identities require sensitive or privileged access it is imperative that businesses in the UAE gain a clearer understanding of the nature of this access and the attack surface it represents,” said Tom Lowndes, Director, Middle East at CyberArk. “Identity-centric breaches affect nearly all organizations, with most suffering multiple successful attacks; to address the extent of growing threats on identity that organizations face from an array of malign actors, it is key to build resilience on a new cybersecurity model that places identity security at its core.”  

Widespread Use of AI to Battle AI and Complacency Takes Hold

Consistent with CyberArk’s 2023 report, the 2024 Threat Landscape Report found that all organizations in the UAE (100% of those surveyed) are using AI in cybersecurity defense initiatives. Furthermore, the report predicts an increase in the volume and sophistication of identity-related attacks, as skilled and unskilled bad actors also increase their capabilities, including AI-powered malware and phishing. In related findings, the majority of respondents are confident that deepfakes targeting their organization won’t fool their employees.

• All UAE organizations surveyed have adopted AI-powered tools as part of their cyber defenses to some degree, with 35% using AI for advanced analytics and 31% addressing cyber skills and resource challenges with AI.
• 99% of UAE respondents expect AI-powered tools to create cyber risks including AI powered malware, phishing, data leakage from compromised AI models and deepfake scams.
• 83% are confident that their employees can identify deepfakes of their organizational leadership.
• 97% of UAE organizations surveyed have been a victim of a successful identity-related breach due to a phishing or vishing attack.
• 100% of UAE organizations increased their investment in identity-related products or services to some extent in the last 12 months as a result of a breach.

The full report offers further insight on what is behind human and machine identity growth, where related cyber risk lies and how AI is being used in cyber defenses. The report also details the consequences firms are facing from identity-centric cyber breaches and recommends methods to ensure that security practices keep up with organizational initiatives to reduce cybersecurity debt.

Study highlights the divide between AI leaders and AI laggards illustrating value of unified data approach.

NetApp released its second annual Cloud Complexity Report. The report looks at the experiences of global technology decision makers deploying AI at scale and shows a stark contrast between AI leaders and AI laggards. This year’s report provides global insights into progress, readiness, challenges, and momentum since last year’s report, what we can learn from both the AI leaders and AI laggards, and the critical role of a unified data infrastructure in achieving AI success.

“AI is only as good as the data that fuels it,” said Pravjit Tiwana, General Manager and Senior Vice President of Cloud Storage at NetApp. “Both the AI leaders and AI laggards show us that in the prevailing hybrid IT environment, the more unified and reliable your data, the more likely your AI initiatives are to be successful.”  

There is a Significant Divide Between AI Leaders and AI Laggards

The report found a clear divide between AI leaders and AI laggards across several areas including:

Regions: 60% of AI-leading countries (India, Singapore, UK, USA) have AI projects up and running or in pilot, in stark contrast to 36% in AI-lagging countries (Spain, Australia/New Zealand, Germany, Japan).

• Industries: Technology leads with70% of AI projects up and running or in pilot, while Banking & Financial Services and Manufacturing follow with 55% and 50%, respectively. However, Healthcare (38%) and Media & Entertainment (25%) are trailing.
• Company size: Larger companies (with more than 250 employees) are more likely to have AI projects in motion, with 62% reporting projects up and running or in pilot, versus 36% of smaller companies (with fewer than 250 employees).

Both AI leaders and AI laggards show a difference in their approach to AI:

• Globally, 67% of companies in AI-leading countries report having hybrid IT environments, with India leading (70%) and Japan lagging (24%).
• AI leaders are also more likely to report benefits from AI, including a 50% increase in production rates, 46% in the automation of routine activities, and a 45% improvement in customer experience.

“The rise of AI is ushering in a new disrupt-or-die era,” said Gabie Boko, Chief Marketing Officer at NetApp. “Data-ready enterprises that connect and unify broad structured and unstructured data sets into an intelligent data infrastructure are best positioned to win in the age of AI.”

AI Laggards Must Swiftly Innovate to Stay Competitive

Despite the divide, there is notable progress among AI laggards in preparing their IT environments for AI, but the window to catch up is closing rapidly.

• A significant number of companies in AI-lagging countries (42%) have optimized their IT environments for AI, including Germany (67%) and Spain (59%)
  

• Companies in some AI-lagging countries already report they see the benefits of a unified data infrastructure in place, such as:
  • Easier data sharing: Spain (45%), Australia/New Zealand (43%), Germany (44%)
  • Increased visibility: Spain (54%) and Germany (46%)

IT Costs and Data Security Emerge as Top Challenges but Won’t Impede AI Progress

Rising IT costs and ensuring data security are the two of the biggest challenges in the AI era, but they will not block AI progress. Instead, AI leaders will scale back, cut other IT operations, or reallocate costs from other parts of the business to fund AI initiatives.

• AI leaders will also increase their cloud operations (CloudOps), data security and AI investments throughout 2024, with 40% of large companies saying AI projects have already increased IT costs
• Year over year, “increased cybersecurity risk” jumped 16% as a top concern from 45% to 61%, while all other concerns decreased
• To manage AI project costs, 31% of companies globally are reallocating funds from other business areas, with India (48%), UK (40%), and US (35%) leading this trend.

Security, AI, and CloudOps Drive 2024 Cloud Investments

As global companies, whether AI leaders or AI laggards, increase investments, they are relying on the cloud to support their goals.

• Companies reported that they expect to increase AI-driven cloud deployments by 19% from 2024 to 2030.
• 85% of AI leaders plan to enhance their CloudOps automation over the next year.
• Increasing data security investments is a global priority, jumping 25% from 33% in 2023 to 58% in 2024.

Exclusive insights from World Economic Forum’s Professor Tarek Selim feature in ‘MENA Tech 2024: Mapping the Technology Landscape’ report, which explores the region’s latest technological developments in sustainability, education, finance and media

Global experts agree that technological innovation is the key enabler of a more sustainable future for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

‘MENA Tech 2024: Mapping the Technology Landscape’ is the second annual offering from strategic communications agency BLJ Worldwide, headquartered in Doha. The only umbrella study of its kind in the region, it delves into the development of the technology industry across Arab countries in MENA in various sectors.

One of the highlights of this year’s report is an exclusive new essay from World Economic Forum’s Professor Tarek Selim: ‘Smart Mobility in the MENA Region’. It outlines how such technology can not only solve urbanization issues but also improve the quality of life for many, whilst investment in smart mobility will help nations which are seeking to diversify their economies away from oil and gas. 

As well as climate tech, the report focuses on four key sectors: fintech, edtech, innovation and entrepreneurship, and the media industry. Thought leaders and entrepreneurs have highlighted AI and fintech as two of the fastest growing areas in the region. 

Iman Asante, General Manager, BLJ said: “This year’s report is the largest collection of thought leadership commentaries from a selection of the region’s most eminent industry experts. From Generative AI and Arabic language, and the future of education in the rapidly evolving AI era, to MENA’s growing appetite for decentralised finance, the report covers some of the most trending topics – all set against the backdrop of the region’s accelerated digital transformation.”

The report features notable contributors including Monaem Ben Lellahom, Founding Partner and Group CEO, Sustainable Square; Santiago Bañales, Managing Director of Iberdrola Innovation Middle East; Noha Shaker, co-founder of the Egyptian Fintech Association; Indica Amarasinghe, Chapter Director, Startup Grind Qatar; Michael Webster, Executive Chairman of media intelligence platform, Telum Media; and Padmini Gupta, CEO of fintech Xare.

Justin Kerr-Stevens, CEO, BLJ Worldwide, said: “Amid challenging global economic headwinds the region is experiencing strong growth as a result of its relentless focus on using technology to drive progress across all areas of the economy. In fact, the Middle East’s digital economy is projected to grow 20% per year, taking its value to $780 billion by 2030. Coupled with strong governmental support, the private sector is buoyant, and we have a dynamic and vibrant startup ecosystem which is attracting interest from entrepreneurs around the world.”

‘MENA Tech 2024: Mapping the Technology Landscape’ also has a dedicated section that sheds light on the careers of female trailblazers in the region’s technology sector, including Qatar’s Thuraya Al Mulla – Arab Fintech Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 – and founder and CEO of fintech startup Receipts; and UAE-based Padmini Gupta, CEO of Xare. Gupta is an award-winning banker and a World Economic Forum Global Leadership Fellow, who is now revolutionizing financial services for migrant workers worldwide. 

Where is the region headed in the next 10 years? 

Amongst the commentaries from other industry leaders in the region are:

1. Dr Salim Al-Shuaili, Director, Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technologies Projects Unit, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, Oman: “AI will dramatically reshape the Middle East’s tech landscape, driving innovation and digital transformation across sectors. It will drive urban development, personalised healthcare, enhance business productivity and enable workforce automation.” 
2. Narayanan Ganapathy, co-founder of Bahrain-based fintech startup, Bambucorn: “I expect to see the investment industry democratized to a great extent during the next decade. The crypto and decentralized finance sectors will start to take center stage, with a shift to consumers largely wanting to use web 3 solutions that leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools.” 
3. Alexander Wiedmer, Partner and Director, Rasmal Ventures LLC: “As we stand on the precipice of 2025, the global community is at a tipping point and there can be no deceleration in its collective efforts to meet 2030’s net zero targets. This is especially true for the MENA region, which has a historical and economic preoccupation in fossil fuels combined with a unique set of ecological vulnerabilities. Progress can only be achieved with continued and sustained investment in cutting-edge technologies which will facilitate a greener future.”

Tech and MENA’s media landscape

Industry figures including Michael Webster, Executive Chairman of Telum Media, a media intelligence platform, and Dubai-based Andrew Durbridge, director at media monitoring and analytics  provider, LexisNexis, have authored essays addressing the rise of AI-generated content in journalism and how deepfakes are prompting consumers to seek out high-quality trusted sources of news. 

“Where audiences are being bombarded by misinformation and fake images, amid the noise and sensationalism they’re turning to genuinely credible media outlets – or tier one titles – where they know that the information they are getting is verified and authentic”, says Tifow.

Webster believes that AI-generated news content could find a natural home in the MIddle East due to a young tech-savvy population, which consumes most of its news from a smartphone, bolstered by governments that have the means to invest heavily in the promotion and development of AI on a scale not replicated in other parts of the world.