The US-based cloud computing firm Oracle is bolstering its cyber security capabilities and intensifying its efforts to combat the escalating cyber threats in the Middle East.
The Texas-based company said the latest measures are aimed at safeguarding the data of its customers, as cyber attacks continue to rise in the Middle East while expanding its presence in the region.
Oracle aims to have 20 fully deployed cloud regions, each housing at least two data centres, in the Middle East and Africa out of over 160 globally by next year, Richard Smith, Oracle's executive vice president (technology) for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said in an interview.
The region faces an increasingly “complex threat landscape”, with hundreds of thousands of cyber attacks targeting networks daily, Mr Smith told The National on the sidelines of the recently concluded Oracle CloudWorld conference in Las Vegas.
Oracle’s “zero-trust security model is at the forefront of our strategy” and is “designed to withstand even the most sophisticated attacks in the region”, ensuring no data leakage and full sovereignty over customer information.
Zero-trust is a cyber security framework that operates on the principle of 'never trust, always verify'.
“We are constantly vigilant. Safeguarding our customers’ data is sacrosanct to us,” Mr Smith said.
“Given the magnitude of bad actors, you cannot have anything other than a zero-trust environment … one of our top priorities is to ensure that we never misstep with our customers' data and confidential information.
“We never get the keys to your data … the location of your data in the cloud is critical, as is the security applied to it. In regions like the Middle East, the landscape is particularly complex, and navigating it requires an acute understanding of local regulations and sensitivities.”
The average cost of a data breach in the Middle East rose by 8.4 per cent annually to $8.75 million in 2024, according to a study by IBM. The region is the second most expensive in the world for data breaches, after the US, where the average cost is $9.36 million.
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 global risks report, widespread cyber crime and cyber insecurity were among the top 10 global risks in the short and long term, when ranked by 1,200 experts across academia, business, government and civil society.
Oracle serves various local customers in the region including du, DP World, e&, Abu Dhabi Customs, Saudi Railways, Neom, Saudi Arabia Tourism Development Fund, Saudi Arabia Mining Company, Mashreq and Emirates Post.
It has its dedicated cloud regions in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and South Africa, with plans to open new complexes in Morocco.
Last week, the company announced a new feature in its cloud service to strengthen data security by separating network security from the cloud architecture, preventing unauthorised access. It allows businesses to set strict rules to control network traffic and reduce the risk of errors that lead to data breaches.
Oracle is also looking to expand in the region by partnering with government-owned companies, as this approach can help build market trust more easily.
“The rate of technology and AI deployment in the Middle East is accelerating, and we are also pursuing an aggressive approach to expand our presence in the region,” said Mr Smith, who considers the UAE and Saudi Arabia – the Arab world’s biggest economies – as “extremely important” markets in the region.
“We are continuously investing to ensure our technology is the latest and we are ahead in the industry,” he added, without disclosing the company’s actual investment in the region.
In February last year, Oracle announced its plans to invest $1.5 billion in Saudi Arabia to grow its cloud computing capacity.
Oracle has also partnered with local enterprises such as UAE telco du, Injazat, a technology business that is part of Abu Dhabi's artificial intelligence company G42, and Saudi Telecom Company to build sovereign cloud capabilities and dedicated cloud regions specifically for government entities in the Middle East.
The cloud region will give these organisations access to Oracle's cloud applications and infrastructure that comply with top regulatory standards and local laws.
The global cloud computing market size was estimated at $602.31 billion last year and is predicted to surge at a compound annual growth rate of 21.2 per cent from 2024 to 2030, according to a report by Grand View Research.
In the cloud industry, businesses pay only for the selective services or resources they use over time. For businesses, moving to a cloud system hosted by a specialised company is more economical than creating their infrastructure of servers, hardware and security networks. It also brings down the overall cost of ownership.
“We are constantly scanning the market for new business opportunities … we look for partners who have strong values … it's not just a matter of Oracle earning from one country, but it is actually a matter of Oracle making major investments in the economy and building its sovereign cloud capabilities,” Mr Smith said.
F1 2020 calendar
March 15 - Australia, Melbourne; March 22 - Bahrain, Sakhir; April 5 - Vietnam, Hanoi; April 19 - China, Shanghai; May 3 - Netherlands, Zandvoort; May 20 - Spain, Barcelona; May 24 - Monaco, Monaco; June 7 - Azerbaijan, Baku; June 14 - Canada, Montreal; June 28 - France, Le Castellet; July 5 - Austria, Spielberg; July 19 - Great Britain, Silverstone; August 2 - Hungary, Budapest; August 30 - Belgium, Spa; September 6 - Italy, Monza; September 20 - Singapore, Singapore; September 27 - Russia, Sochi; October 11 - Japan, Suzuka; October 25 - United States, Austin; November 1 - Mexico City, Mexico City; November 15 - Brazil, Sao Paulo; November 29 - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Five personal finance podcasts from The National
To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes
·
Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth
·
What is a portfolio stress test?
·
What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested?
·
How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies
·
Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
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UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Specs
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A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
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Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Match info
Uefa Nations League Group B:
England v Spain, Saturday, 11.45pm (UAE)
