- SearchInform presented the results of a study analysing key information security challenges in the Gulf Region
- The SearchInform study identified two significant security threats in the region
- The study was revealed at GITEX GLOBAL 2025
The survey included 116 respondents from various industries, primarily IT and information security specialists and directors from commercial organisations and government institutions.
The SearchInform study identified two significant security threats in the region: social engineering (28 per cent) and insider threats (19 per cent). Insiders, cited as the primary threat, were most frequently mentioned by security specialists and senior executives.
One in two respondents indicated that in 2024 their company would confront internal information security incidents, ranging from staff errors to deliberate data leaks and fraud. SearchInform security expert Yazen Rahmeh explained that the true extent of the problem is likely to be even greater.
“Identifying internal incidents and their risks without specialised software is extremely difficult. In the course of the study, we found that only 45% of companies use DLP (data loss prevention) and DCAP (data-centric audit and protection) solutions. Organisations without such software simply do not have the technical capability to detect an incident,” said Rahmeh.
The study also revealed that the larger the company, the higher the level of data protection deployment. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Data Classification and Access Policy (DCAP) are utilised by 34 per cent of small organisations, 45 per cent of medium-sized organisations, and 75 per cent of large organisations.
Rahmeh said: “Fifty-five per cent of organisations that faced internal incidents over the past year are SMBs. For them, the loss or leakage of, for example, know-how can become a matter of survival.”
Forty-three per cent of respondents reported a shortage of information security specialists. The primary reason noted by a third of those surveyed was a limited budget.
This issue is particularly pronounced among small enterprises, with almost half (48 per cent) reporting a lack of information security personnel. In the mid-market segment, 36 per cent of companies cited a shortage of specialists, while among large organisations, the figure was 25 per cent.
Thirty-one per cent of respondents indicated that they have already outsourced a portion of their information security tasks. Additionally, 26 per cent are planning to do so in the near future.
“The MSS model meets current market conditions. It enables organisations to achieve the necessary results amid tight budgets, a shortage of specialists, and the complexities of administering security software. It’s no surprise this approach is resonating across the MENA region,” said Artem Volodin, CEO, SearchInform MENA.
