Etisalat has collaborated with Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) along with Trend Micro Incorporated to launch Cyber Eye – an initiative designed to strengthen the Abu Dhabi Government entities’ cybersecurity capabilities.
Cyber Eye initiative is a central part of Abu Dhabi government’s cybersecurity strategy. It will employ first of its kind technology and systems to identify cyber threats in real time and take effective and proactive actions to mitigate risks and increase protection, further strengthening the security of Abu Dhabi government entities’ digital assets.
H.E. Dr. Mohamed Abdelhameed Al Askar, director general of ADDA said, “ADDA is keen to strengthen collaboration ties between the public and private sectors, and to work with strategic partners such as Etisalat and Trend Micro as these collaborations are vital in providing basic technological knowledge, and the expertise necessary to enhance cybersecurity capabilities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
“Today, we embark on a new, safer digital journey. One where cybersecurity takes a central position in our digital transformation strategy. As we move forward, we are incorporating best-in-class solutions to protect government infrastructure and ensure the integrity and safety of all its digital assets. We will be working closely with our partners Etisalat and Trend Micro to unify incident management and prevention across all departments,” Dr. Al-Askar added.
Meanwhile, Abdulla Ebrahim Al Ahmed, senior vice president, government sales, Etisalat, said, “Etisalat is committed to developing digital security solutions as part of our strategy to 'drive the digital future to empower societies'. Through the work on the "Cyber Eye" initiative, we will enhance our contribution to achieving the government vision in securing the highest level of digital security. This is a one element in the nation's digital transformation strategy. This agreement further underlines the confidence in Etisalat's digital solutions to both public and private sectors, and our capabilities in the field of cybersecurity. The Initiative will strengthen the position of Abu Dhabi and the UAE as an innovation and advanced technology hub.”
Dr. Moataz BinAli, VP and managing director, MENA, Trend Micro, said: “A proactive, integrated system such as the one we will build through the Cyber Eye initiative will enable government decision-makers to step up their defense of digital services and Trend Micro remains dedicated to the support of ADDA on its digital transformation journey.”
The Cyber Eye initiative also addresses the issue of infrastructure visibility and will promote standards and methods to enhance controls and capabilities for the purposes of optimizing resilience across government entities. Such methods will also allow technology teams to detect threats more quickly, including the most advanced attacks.
Governments across the region have faced significant rises in complexity in their IT stack during the COVID-19 crisis, including a higher risk from endpoint security brought about by remote working. A recent KPMG survey of UAE business stakeholders showed concern about the rise of cybercrime during the pandemic. Some 61% of respondents were concerned about phishing scams, 54% were worried about email spamming, and 42% dreaded a ransomware incident. Regional government authorities have often been prime targets of cybercriminals, prompting this collaboration between ADDA, Etisalat and Trend Micro on Cyber Eye. The initiative will take advantage of intelligence-driven methodologies to enhance the maturity and effectiveness of the government in cybersecurity.
