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Positive Technologies: 51% of successful malware attacks start with phishing

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cyberthreat

Positive Technologies has unveiled a study of the current cyberthreats for Q1 2024. Malware remained the main weapon that cybercriminals use, while analysts recorded an increase in the use of remote-control software. Attackers usually spread malware by email: 51% of successful cyberattacks on organizations started with phishing emails.

In Q1, the number of incidents increased by 19% year-on-year. Meanwhile, 78% of the attacks targeted organizations. The top targets of successful cyberattacks were government agencies (15%), IT companies (9%), and industry (8%).

The most common method for attacking companies was with malware, which accounted for 68% of successful cyberattacks. The most common types of malware are ransomware (43%), remote access trojans (RATs, 32%) and spyware (21%). The number of cyberattacks using spyware and encryption malware decreased by 4% and 11%, respectively. Meanwhile, analysts note that in the first three months of 2024, the number of attacks using RATs increased by 10% compared to Q4 2023.

The increased attacker interest in RATs can be explained by the fact that much of today’s malware is modular. As such, attackers can combine spyware, bootloaders, banking trojans, and even encryption malware, allowing them to cause greater damage to their victims,” notes Dmitry Streltsov, an analyst from the Positive Technologies research group. —We predict that cybercriminals will continue increasing their use of modular programs by adding new features to them. However, it’s too early to discount spyware and encryption malware, despite the decline in their use.”

In over half of the attacks, the attackers spread malware via email. Thus, Positive Technologies (The PT Expert Security Center) has detected a series of attacks by the cybergroup Lazy Koala, whose victims include organizations from Russia and the CIS. Attackers used phishing emails to convince recipients to open attachments and run the files in their browser. As a result, their devices were infected with malware that cybercriminals used to steal employee accounts.

Cyberattacks usually resulted in the leakage of confidential information (54%) and the disruption of core activity (33%). In data-centric attacks, attackers usually intended to seize personal information (37%), trade secrets (22%), and log-in details (17%). For example, in January, researchers discovered the largest database ever, with 26 billion entries of data on users of popular Russian and foreign social networks, as well as services such as Adobe, Dropbox, and Canva.

The experts note that with the growing number of information leaks and the inability of the protection tools already on the market to provide results-driven cybersecurity, there is a need for data security platform (DSP) solutions. Such systems can manage various types of data regardless of their structure or location. Experts also recommend using web app firewalls (PT Application Firewall or its cloud version, PT Cloud Application Firewall) and sandboxes such as PT Sandbox to protect the infrastructure. The former will reduce the risk of intrusion into the company’s internal perimeters, while the latter offers timely detection of malware. To improve infrastructural security, experts recommend using vulnerability management systems, such as MaxPatrol VM, as well as running bug bounty programs, possibly on the Standoff Bug Bounty platform. In addition, even if your company’s mail servers are protected, it is recommended to use services that analyze how well the configuration of the defenses performs with a tool like PT Knockin.

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IT services spend in MENA set to reach up to 28% of total IT budgets as services-led transformation accelerates

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The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is entering a decisive, services-led growth phase in its IT sector, as enterprises and governments accelerate large-scale digital transformation initiatives. Investments in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), data centres, and cybersecurity are reshaping technology priorities, with implementation, integration, and managed services gaining prominence over traditional software-led models.

Industry analysis by Grand View Research (GVR) reveals that IT services currently account for around 21–22% of total IT spending across MENA, a share expected to rise to between 26 and 28% by the end of the decade. The region’s professional IT services market, valued at USD 33.9 billion (Dh124.5 billion) in 2024, is forecast to grow to nearly USD 58.3 billion (Dh214 billion) by 2030, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9.5%.

Sourav Bhanja, Middle East Head of GVR, said: “Many B2B IT services firms in the region continue to underinvest in digital engagement. Professional platforms such as LinkedIn remain underutilised, while company websites often lack strong case studies, sector-specific storytelling, and clear positioning.”

Government-led digitalisation programmes, sovereign cloud deployments, smart city initiatives, and national data strategies, coupled with rising enterprise adoption across sectors such as banking and financial services, healthcare, energy, logistics, and public infrastructure, are driving this shift. As hyperscalers and global technology firms expand their regional footprint, demand for localised integration, migration, and managed services continues to accelerate.

Bhanja also emphasised the importance of leadership visibility in the region’s competitive IT market: “Technical capability alone is no longer enough. Firms that combine deep technical expertise with consistent marketing, strong leadership visibility, and clear communication of value are the ones most likely to succeed in the MENA market.”

The analysis highlights that with growing competition among IT services providers, market visibility and differentiation have emerged as critical growth drivers. Integrated, always-on digital marketing strategies are increasingly vital, as many B2B IT services firms underutilise channels such as LinkedIn, websites, thought leadership content, newsletters, blogs, infographics, and short-form video to engage decision-makers.

Market data also indicates a broader shift towards digital-first engagement. Digital advertising spend in the Middle East, estimated at USD 32 billion (Dh117 billion) in 2024, is projected to rise sharply to USD 81.4 billion (Dh298.9 billion) by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.7%. In contrast, the regional events and conferences market is expected to expand at a more modest 7.1% CAGR, reflecting changing enterprise marketing priorities.

Grand View Research concluded that IT services firms combining technical depth with strong market communication, data-driven marketing, and visible leadership will be best positioned to capture the next phase of growth across MENA.

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Loylogic Shares 2026 Vision to Advance the Global Rewards Marketplace

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Advanced AI innovation, intelligent marketplace design, and trusted global infrastructure position Loylogic for continued leadership in rewards and loyalty commerce.

Gabi Kool, CEO, Loylogic

As the Middle East loyalty market is projected to reach $3.27 billion in 2025, expanding 16.3% year-on-year, and digital-first, personalized, and coalition-based models reshape the industry, brands face rising expectations around relevance and engagement. Against this evolving landscape, Loylogic, a leader in global loyalty rewards management, today shared its 2026 strategic outlook, outlining how the company is evolving its global rewards marketplace to support brands navigating rapidly changing loyalty expectations.


The company enters the year with a renewed focus on continued investment in AI-powered rewards marketplace intelligence, enhanced catalogue curation, and deeper integration capabilities designed to improve reward relevance, partner value, and member experience across industries and geographies. Rather than simply expanding choice, Loylogic’s approach centres on intelligent rewards marketplace design, aligning consumer relevance, operational efficiency, and long-term value creation within a single global platform.

To support enterprise scale deployment, Loylogic continues to operate under a robust compliance and security, compliance and governance framework. The company adheres to internationally recognised standards ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI DSS, and AES-256 encryption, ensuring secure and trusted data handling across every layer of its technology while maintaining alignment with the European Accessibility Act 2025 and WCAG 2.0. All platforms remain adaptable to regional data residency and regulatory requirements.

“As loyalty programs mature, brands are looking beyond scale alone,” said Gabi Kool, CEO of Loylogic. “They want reward ecosystems that are smarter, more relevant, and commercially sound. Our focus for 2026 is about advancing how global rewards marketplaces are designed, governed, and experienced, combining intelligence, trust, and flexibility.”

Advanced AI innovation is central to Loylogic’s next phase of growth. Loylogic continues to enhance its use of advanced analytics and machine learning to support smarter reward discovery, improved marketplace performance, and deeper insights for loyalty operators, while maintaining strict standards for privacy, security, and compliance.

“Our innovation efforts are focused on making rewards marketplaces more intelligent and adaptive,” said Amit Bendre, COO of Loylogic. “This means better insight, better decision support, and better experiences, without compromising on trust, transparency, or regulatory rigor.”


Looking ahead to 2026, Loylogic plans to deepen collaboration with global partners, engage more actively with industry stakeholders, and selectively strengthen capabilities across commercial, product, and technology functions, supporting a growing pipeline of enterprise clients across financial services, travel, and consumer sectors. With a proven global infrastructure, deep marketplace expertise, and a clear strategic direction, Loylogic continues to help leading brands transform everyday engagement into meaningful, long-term loyalty.

About Loylogic

Loylogic is a leader in global rewards marketplaces for loyalty and incentives management, enabling brands to deliver scalable, flexible engagement experiences through a modern commerce platform. Its global catalog and redemption marketplace support meaningful engagement across B2C, B2E, and B2B programs worldwide. With deep expertise in sourcing, fulfilment, and patented points-plus-cash innovation, Loylogic has enabled over 200 billion points and miles transactions, delivered more than $1 billion in commerce, and shipped experiences spanning 100+ categories across 190 countries to more than 10 million loyalty members worldwide.

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Webook.com Strengthens UAE Footprint, Bringing World-Class Entertainment Experiences

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Webook.com, one of the fastest-growing platforms for booking lifestyle and entertainment experiences in the Middle East, is deepening its footprint in the United Arab Emirates following strong traction across the country.

Founded with a vision to transform how people discover and book experiences, webook.com continues to elevate convenience through a unified platform that brings together entertainment, dining, and leisure in a seamless digital journey.

Within the UAE, webook.com has rapidly expanded its user base while curating a lineup of world-class experiences. From comedy nights with Bassem Youssef to electrifying Teddy Swims concerts and the magic of Disney on Ice, webook.com continues to bring some of the region’s most unforgettable events to audiences across the UAE. Beyond these major hosted events, users can also book global entertainment experiences, including MDLBEAST, Riyadh Season, AFCON and other leading events happening across MENA.

Commenting on the expansion, Nadeem Bakhsh, CEO of webook.com, said: “Webook.com was built to curate the experiences that matter most, from front-row access to world-class entertainment to discovering hidden local gems. Expanding our footprint to the UAE allows us to bring a carefully selected lineup of events and experiences to the region. Our goal is to continue providing variety, quality, and seamless access to unforgettable moments.”

As the platform widens its presence across the UAE, it continues to strengthen partnerships with top entertainment brands, cultural institutions, and iconic venues, enabling users to access an unmatched selection of events and experiences.

Webook.com’s technology has proven itself across multiple markets, handling millions of transactions during major events, tournaments, and high-demand ticket releases. With real-time queueing, robust infrastructure, and flexible integration, webook.com delivers landmark events with unmatched reliability and scale.

With momentum accelerating in the UAE, webook.com aims to transform how people discover, plan, and enjoy experiences, turning every booking into the start of a memorable story. Beyond expanding its presence, webook.com is shaping a movement centered on connection, culture, and the joy of shared moments.

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