Black Hat MEA
Black Hat MEA Prepares for Upscaled Programme of Activities

Black Hat Middle East & Africa (MEA) is relocating to the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre, as it looks to record huge growth in floor space, exhibitors, national and industry pavilions, and speakers. Running from November 14-16, this year’s event will take place under the tagline ‘Infosec on the Edge’. Organised by Tahaluf, an Informa Business in partnership with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), Black Hat MEA will be 41 per cent bigger than its 2022 launch edition and has already seen a 119 per cent uplift in early-day visitor registrations.
“Prominent CISOs, C-level executives, IT directors, and government officials have registered to explore new business opportunities, innovative learning and networking that will set the blueprints for successful preparation against existing and new threats in the new digital era of AI,” said Michael Champion, Chief Executive Officer of Tahaluf, organisers of Black Hat MEA. “With 70 per cent of our 2022 exhibitors having rebooked, we are well on course to beat last year’s launch event outputs, which included more than 30,000 attendees, 182 exhibitors, and more than 250 speakers. This year we are forecasting more than 300 exhibitors from 120 countries, making it the region’s largest cybersecurity event, and the most attended in the world.”
Black Hat MEA 2023 will be an unparalleled knowledge-sharing platform with a speaker cast of more than 300 international experts partaking in a host of interactive workshops, certified training programmes, and a stellar Executive Summit featuring some of the biggest names across the global entertainment, finance, hospitality, aviation, electronics, defence, and FMCG sectors. The confirmed line-up already includes CISOs from Huawei, Netflix, Uber, and Zoom among others.
“These are the experts who protect critical infrastructure and digital assets used en-masse for the good of society and to protect organisations at risk of security breaches from hostile state actors or criminal entities,” added Champion. “Their insights are invaluable to anyone charged with overseeing or developing cybersecurity strategies for organisations across the entire economic and public service ecosystem.”
Expertly curated content will see the speakers scrutinise the most pertinent issues impacting the sector, from generative AI and machine learning to compliance and regulations, identity, and access management. Privacy and data protection, business and risk management, emerging cyber threats, and incident response and recovery will come under the microscope too, alongside talent management and security culture, IoT security and hacking, supply chain risk, and software supply chain, as well as the growing role of women in the cyber sector.
Returning to the stage to discuss these key topics is David B. Cross, Senior Vice President, and Chief Information Security Officer of Oracle SaaS Cloud. “I am very excited to attend and speak again at Blackhat MEA which is an amazing and immersive personal and professional experience for all security business, operations, and engineering leaders. The energy, collaboration and insights gained from my experience from Blackhat MEA 2022 last year is a driver to help take the security community to the next level in this deeply technical and hands forum unlike any other,” said Cross.
Spire Solutions, a strategic partner and long-time exhibitor of the show have identified key security challenges and opportunities to help organizations accelerate growth and will be showcasing an array of solutions focused on big data and cybersecurity.
“Taking part in Black Hat MEA once again gives us unrivalled opportunities to meet customers and partners, drive business objectives and share innovative ideas. As we expand beyond the MENA region, our expertise and critical cybersecurity solutions can support organisations across untapped African regions, optimising security performance and mitigating risks. At Black Hat 2023, we will be showcasing solutions that tackle key security challenges, from cyber threat intelligence to API security and IT & Operations management. In the face of growing cyber threats, we remain committed to empowering government and private sector organisations with proactive and robust cybersecurity measures,” said Sanjeev Walia, Founder and President, Spire Solutions.
The trade show positions itself as a powerhouse of information, products, services, and solutions that inform the wider cybersecurity sector, by bringing in specialists from the biggest brands around the globe. Exhibiting this year is Snap Inc., the enterprise that owns Snapchat, one of the most widely used social media applications with up to 280 million daily active users worldwide. With great power comes great responsibility and the company claims it has a strong commitment to privacy.
“Information Security is a global problem and is not bound by any country or regional borders. I believe it can only be solved with cooperation and open communication between our diverse communities, and Black Hat MEA is a key platform to facilitate these critical discussions and bring together the global infosec ecosystem to find tangible solutions. I am very excited to be a part of the upcoming edition to help foster education and drive awareness alongside a very talented community,” said Jim Higgens, Chief Information Security Officer at Snapchat
Black Hat is a space where visitors can maximise their time and exhibitors can network and unearth new opportunities for partnerships and collaboration. This year’s edition will also see members of Black Hat MEA’s exclusive CISO Club invited to join the inaugural CISO Chapter, wherein over 500 end-user CISOs from across the region and beyond will receive various insights leading up to the event as well as, among other benefits, access to lounges, boardrooms, and brainstorming workshops aimed at helping overcome industry challenges.
Also new is Black Hat Campus, a bespoke matchmaking area aimed both at investors and startups that will feature podcasts and webinar sessions dedicated to cybersecurity investment. It will also host three special investor panels live on stage, as well as the launch of the first Black Hat MEA 966 Chapter, which is set to mastermind social activities and meet-ups for the Kingdom’s ethical hackers and security leaders’ network.
Meanwhile, CyberSeed is Black Hat MEA’s ground-breaking startup pitch competition and will be expanded this year with more awards, prizes, and cybersecurity champions. From an application pool numbering in the hundreds, 20 startups will be selected by a judging panel of high-powered investors and industry experts to compete on-site in the CyberSeed Semi-Finals.
Each startup can enter one of four award categories: Innovative Ideator for startups who are pre-revenue but with fantastic potential and ready to make a first jump into the market; Shining Seedling for early-stage, revenue-generating startups under five years old and with less than five staff worth under US$5m; Established Excellence for larger, more experienced companies; and Saudi Superstar, which is aimed at enhancing the profile of cybersecurity talent in the Kingdom. The top two startups from each category will qualify for the Grand Finale on November 16, where they will face off against one another live on the Executive Summit stage for a chance to be crowned the winner.
New for 2023, each of the 20 semi-finalists will be assigned a mentor, a cybersecurity expert whose role is to support contestants through advice sessions, webinars, and in-person masterclasses before the event, increasing their chances of victory. To promote equal opportunities in cybersecurity, an additional award will be given to the highest-scoring female-led startup, advancing at least to the semi-final stage.
In the Black Hat MEA Arsenal, developers will demonstrate the latest open-source tools and products in an open, conversational environment wherein presenters will interact with attendees and provide hands-on experiences. ToolsWatch is partnering the Arsenal sessions with information security experts passing on new industry tricks and trends, while hackers will demonstrate the latest breach techniques in the Activity Zone.
“This event covers the entire spectrum of current and evolving issues impacting a sector that now infiltrates every industry, every organisation, and many households everywhere,” concluded Champion. “Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue; it is now a board-room agenda issue on which the success of any organisation can depend. Failure to keep pace with the rapid speed of transformation is a risk too far. Black Hat MEA is where the region comes together to ensure it remains at the vanguard of cybersecurity for the safety of all.”
Black Hat MEA
HakTrak to Show Off its Latest Cybersecurity Solutions at the Black Hat MEA 2023 in Riyadh

HakTrak has announced its participation in “Black Hat MEA 2023”, the most prominent cybersecurity event in Saudi Arabia to be held at Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Center on November 14-16. HakTrak is a leading Saudi-based cybersecurity company in the region through its innovative mindset, agile approach, deep experience, and project-delivery discipline.
During Black Hat MEA 2023, the company will highlight its digital solutions that are devoted to participating in strengthening the national cybersecurity capabilities through innovation and creativity. Also, HakTrak will sign multiple partnership agreements with leading institutions, including MIS, Enayah Association, the Charity Association in Riyadh Al-Bir, the Football Players Association (FPA), Hemaya, and The Institute of Research and Consulting Services Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Asimily for IOT, Otyfied, and Safe Decision, which specializes in providing cloud services in Saudi Arabia.
“Black Hat MEA is an important platform for HakTrak to display our reliable and comprehensive solutions and engage with some of the industry’s biggest executives and customers from different industries. Our presence at Black Hat MEA 2023 affirms our commitment to the Saudi Market,” said the Chairman of HakTrak, Dr. Ahmed Al-Qahtani. “As a trusted partner, we enable businesses to thrive in the digital age, confident in the knowledge that their cybersecurity needs are in capable hands, and their unwavering commitment to excellence continues to shape the cybersecurity landscape in the region, setting a new standard for innovation, reliability and customer focus.”
Black Hat MEA
CyberKnight Takes Stage at Black Hat Middle East 2023 with Cutting-Edge Zero Trust Security Portfolio

CyberKnight is set to make its inaugural appearance at Black Hat Middle East 2023, a key cybersecurity event in the region, taking place from 14 to 16 November in Riyadh. Participation at Black Hat underlines the company’s commitment to cybersecurity resilience in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At the event, CyberKnight takes a step beyond the technology showcase, offering support to local IT Security Leaders from enterprise and government organizations: the focus is on achieving compliance with local frameworks such as NCA and SAMA while safeguarding their most valuable assets through the strategic implementation of Zero Trust Security.
CyberKnight will be participating with eleven of its leading international portfolio vendors:
- CrowdStrike: EDR, Cloud Security & Threat Intel
- Arista Networks: Software-defined Networking, NPB & NDR
- Elastic: SIEM / Big Data / Log Management
- Entrust: PKI, Passwordless Authentication, MFA, SSO, IoT Security
- Fasoo: Discovery, Classification, DRM, Watermarking
- StrikeReady: BAS & AI-Based SecOps Virtual Assistant
- Traceable: Intelligent API Security]
- CounterCraft : Deception Powered by Threat Intel
- Phosphorus Cybersecurity Inc.: xIoT Security Platform
- SecurityScorecard: Cybersecurity Risk Ratings
- Checkmarx: SAST, DAST, IAST, SCA, Supply Chain Security, IaC & API Security
“Participating in this top regional cybersecurity event is a significant milestone for CyberKnight. Our theme: ‘Beyond Resilience: Zero Trust Security for an AI-Pioneered Cyber Renaissance’ encapsulates our vision of ushering in a new era of cybersecurity that goes beyond conventional strategies and traditional technologies, and we are excited to share this vision with industry leaders,” commented Wael Jaber, Chief Strategy Officer at CyberKnight.
“As CyberKnight makes its premiere at Black Hat, we are not just showcasing technology; we are unveiling a new era of cybersecurity resilience. The journey begins with Zero Trust Security solutions tailored for Saudi Arabia. We are here to empower organizations in the Kingdom and beyond, ensuring they navigate the cybersecurity challenges of today and tomorrow with confidence,” added Mohammed Tayeb, General Manager Sales – Saudi Arabia at CyberKnight.
Black Hat MEA
Spire Solutions to Exhibit at Blackhat MEA 2023

Spire Solutions is participating at Black Hat MEA from 14th to 16th November 2023, at the Riyadh Front Exhibition Centre. Spire Solutions is joining as a strategic partner at Blackhat from the cybersecurity space. The company will be present at booth H3.G30 along with globally acclaimed technology partners to lead the discussions around cybersecurity and data and support Saudi Arabia’s objective to achieve a secure digital future.
Under the theme “Empowering your Cyber Defence with Data and AI”, Spire Solutions will drive regional objectives and will showcase some of the most powerful and influential solutions such:
- Cloud Services by Spire Solutions, in collaboration with Microsoft
- Gurucul – ML/AI Powered Security Analytics platform
- SolarWinds – Secure IT Monitoring and Observability platform
- CyberArk – Privileged Access Management, Identity Access Management & DevSecOps solutions
- ForgeRock – Digital Identity for Consumer, Workplace and Things
- Corelight – Successful Threat Hunting with Network Detection and Response platform
- SailPoint – Data Access and AI-Driven Identity Security for enterprises
- Spire Data – Data & AI solutions
- Conceal – AI-Powered Secure Browser Extension
The threat landscape across the Middle East and Africa region is constantly evolving. The advent of generative AI models and the proliferation of cloud infrastructure have added complexity to the security landscape. Spire Solutions recognizes the imperative nature of cybersecurity in this context and remains dedicated to assisting organizations across various sectors in bolstering their defences. Along with its existing band of leading technologies, Spire Solutions is set to take the lead in showcasing new technologies and solutions around SIEM solutions, Cloud Services, API Security, and digital identity security.
Sanjeev Walia, Founder and President of Spire Solutions said, “We will be bringing the best of technologies to support, collaborate, and work closely with relevant government and private entities in Saudi Arabia. With a focus on Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is undergoing an enormous business shift. Inspired by the National Transformation Program, we are witnessing a huge transition in the way businesses are functioning, that is, moving from traditional business models to a digital approach, which is propelling innovation and leading the way for improved business growth. With such developments, events like Blackhat serve as a strong platform to address the current and emerging challenges and connect the industry together. Through our strategic partnership with Black Hat, we will emphasize proactively securing digital assets and working together with our partners and customers to enhance the regional cybersecurity landscape.”
As part of the thought leadership session, Spire Solution’s line-up of speakers Gene Yoo, CEO at Resecurity will lead a session on Modern Threat Intelligence; Nilesh Dherange, CTO at Gurucul will present on Leveraging Machine Learning & AI for Attack Detection Scenarios; Prasanth Prasad, Director of Technology at Spire Solutions is part of an eminent Panel session on the topic Understanding The Expanding Influence of Cybersecurity Across The Enterprise & Business Functions; Basil Shahin, Regional Sales Director at Corelight will lead a critical discussion on Leveraging the Evidence Bank, Security’s Most Valuable Asset; Rami Qassem, Regional Sales Lead at SolarWinds will share practical tips on Observability and Secure Digital Transformation; Tausif Sayyed, Director – Big Data and Data Analytics at Spire Data will share important insights on the topic Generative AI Unleashed; Muhammad Rehan, Business Unit Head at Spire Solutions will take up an important session on Security in Software Development Life Cycle; Andrew Potter, Solution Architect at ForgeRock will lead a session on the topic Passwordless; Umer Aziz, Sr. Solution Architect at SailPoint will deliver a session on the topic Building a Successful Identity Program, and Mohamed Nabil from CyberArk will share his perspective on The Anatomy of the MGM Hack.
Spire Solutions will be exhibiting at Stand No H3.G30, Riyadh Front Exhibition Centre.
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