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Riyadh to host the 5th edition of the Gulf Congress on Cyber Security

August 2, 2022

Riyadh is set to play host to more than 200 international cyber warfare experts at the 5^th edition of the Gulf Congress on Cybersecurity which will take place on September 20^th 2022, for the first time in Saudi Arabia.

The one-day event, schedule for September 20^th is not Agora Group’s first foray into the Saudi Market. The group hosted the Healthcare Disrupters Congress in Riyadh on March 21^st 2022 at the Voco Hotel with more than 200 senior level attendees from the Healthcare industry.

The event is focused on highlighting the challenges facing government, companies and individuals in protecting the acquisition, safeguarding and dissemination of data and information in an age with connectivity and mobility are the main driving economic and social catapults towards progress.

Themes of the conference:

Smart Kingdom
Integrating Cybersecurity policies into the strategic mission of public and private institutions
The New Normal of Work – Post Pandemic and future trends in remote working. How can Cybersecurity cope?
Cybersecurity and Ai an unbreakable bond in a future of automation and orchestration
OT Cyber Security – Half of all cyber-attacks in the Middle East target the oil & gas industry. Previously, these attacks were focused on the IT environment, however, we’ve been seeing an increase in attacks on Operational Technology
Data Management, Governance and protection

Our aim is to create a stimulating and invigorating convocation that links some of the foremost thinkers in the Cybersecurity world today to share ideas, raise challenging questions, and inspire thought to action. The event will create a platform for the Cybersecurity industry to discuss the latest challenges facing Saudi Arabia and to facilitate an exchange of ideas and solutions between the government and the private sector on issues strategically important to strengthen the Kingdom’s resilience to cyber-attacks.

The hosting of the congress in Saudi Arabia comes at a time when the world is facing increased cyber threats in all shapes and forms. Cybercrime already cost the world $6 Trillion in 2020 and this figure is expected to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025. The Kingdom is as vulnerable as any other country and needs to continuously update its arsenal to combat these accelerating threats.

Saudi Arabia has the largest information and communication technology (ICT) market in the Middle East and the country is constantly developing it. The entire GCC region is a prime destination for Cyber attacks and the figures prove it:

The GCC recorded 3067 Covid-19 Cyber Attacks in Q1 2020, 1737 Email spam attack, 1114 malware threats and 213 URL attack
In 2020, Saudi Arabia recorded over 22.5 million cyber-attacks, each of which cost an average of S6.5 million dollars
In March 2021, the Ministry of Education of Saudi Arabia and the National Cybersecurity Authority signed an agreement on launching joint training and research programs in the field on cybersecurity
Since the first cyber-attack on Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia has introduced a series of measures aimed at reducing the occurrence of cyber-attacks and has raised the flag on growing cybercrime

Agora Group is looking forward to hosting the 5^th edition of the Gulf Congress on Cybersecurity in Riyadh. The event is targeted at senior level decision makers in Cybersecurity across all industries. We are expecting more than 150 senior level attendees at the event.