Across the Middle East, digital transformation is reshaping key industries. Governments are introducing AI-powered services, banks are adopting cloud-first strategies, and retail is becoming increasingly driven by e-commerce. These developments reflect a clear ambition to position the region as a global digital leader. However, with this momentum comes a growing level of exposure to cyber threats, which are increasing in both frequency and sophistication. Regional organisations must now approach cybersecurity as a strategic priority that supports resilience, trust, and regulatory readiness.
by Samer Diya, VP at Forcepoint META
A Shift in Threat Patterns Requires a New Response
The tactics employed by cybercriminals have evolved considerably. Forcepoint X-Labs has recently identified a sharp rise in the number of fake online retail sites targeting consumers in Gulf countries. These fraudulent websites are no longer easy to identify. They are built using cloned brand assets, professional-grade designs, and convincing payment processes. They capitalise on local shopping habits during high-traffic periods such as Ramadan or end-of-season sales. Unlike older scams, they are more likely to evade detection by using valid certificates, hiding behind legitimate infrastructure, and disappearing swiftly after harvesting customer data or payments.
Simultaneously, malware campaigns — including those involving the Lumma Stealer strain — are leveraging password-protected files and encrypted archives to bypass traditional detection tools. These threats no longer rely on exploiting technical vulnerabilities. Instead, they manipulate human trust, behavioural patterns, and gaps in legacy defences. They are fast, targeted, and increasingly aware of regional nuances.
AI Is Changing the Security Equation
AI now lies at the heart of this evolving landscape. Threat actors are using AI to craft more convincing phishing emails, automate credential harvesting, and convincingly mimic legitimate communication. These capabilities enable them to scale operations faster and with greater precision. Yet, the same AI-driven technologies powering these threats can be harnessed to enhance detection and defence.
Forcepoint’s AI-based security solutions are designed to identify anomalies in data flows and user behaviour that signal risk. When our teams analysed Lumma Stealer attacks, it was the application of AI-led analytics that revealed the multi-layered delivery method and flagged suspicious activity concealed within encrypted traffic.
This dual role of AI underlines why it is now a fundamental component of modern cybersecurity strategy. Reactive models no longer offer adequate protection. Threats emerge too rapidly and often without obvious indicators. AI provides the speed and contextual adaptability needed to make decisions based on patterns rather than static rules.
Cybersecurity Investment Is Rising in the Region
This awareness is reflected in recent investment trends. IDC forecasts AI spending in the Middle East and Africa will reach US$7.2 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate approaching 30 per cent. While much of this expenditure targets customer experience and automation, cybersecurity is a growing priority, particularly within government, financial services, and energy sectors, where data sensitivity and operational uptime are critical.
However, investment must deliver tangible outcomes. Deploying standalone tools is no longer sufficient — organisations require integrated platforms that offer visibility, control, and alignment with both current and future regulatory frameworks.
Forcepoint’s data security solutions are built to meet these demands. Our Data Security Posture Management platform enables security teams to locate and classify sensitive data across both cloud and on-premises environments. Data Detection and Response solutions deliver visibility into data in use, highlighting risk events in real time. Our Data Loss Prevention technology safeguards data in motion across web, email, endpoint, and cloud channels. While effective individually, these tools achieve greater impact when combined through Forcepoint Data Security Cloud, delivering unified visibility and control over data, wherever it resides or moves.
Preparing for Regulatory and Compliance Changes
The global regulatory environment is also growing more stringent. While the US Data Security Programme focuses on national data controls, it forms part of a wider movement towards tighter governance of personal and sensitive information. The Middle East is already moving in this direction. Saudi Arabia’s Personal Data Protection Law and the UAE’s Federal Data Protection Law are introducing specific requirements for consent management, cross-border data transfers, and breach reporting. Compliance is no longer optional. Regional organisations must be able to demonstrate clear understanding of where their data resides, how it is secured, and who has access to it.
PwC’s 2024 Digital Trust Insights report for the Middle East reveals that 33 per cent of regional organisations believe Generative AI has heightened their exposure to cyber threats, while a further 48 per cent are concerned about internal misuse of these tools. This highlights a broader issue: many risks originate internally. Whether through negligence, misconfiguration, or malicious intent, insiders increasingly play a central role in incidents. Strengthening internal governance and staff training is now as important as external defences.
Taking a Practical Approach to Security Leadership
Enhancing cybersecurity capability in the Middle East is as much about building trust with customers, regulators, and partners as it is about countering threats. And it begins with practical action. Organisations should review and update data management policies, conduct regular security audits, educate employees on emerging risks, and align with global frameworks likely to shape future regulation. Cybersecurity must become a consideration embedded within operational decision-making, not confined to IT departments.
The region is now well-positioned to lead in AI-driven cybersecurity. With growing investment, progressive policy development, and increasing awareness of digital risk, Middle Eastern markets can establish new benchmarks in how security is approached. Forcepoint continues to partner with organisations across the region to support this ambition, providing solutions that deliver real-time insights, enforce policy, and protect data across every layer of operations.
