The Cybersecurity Council achieved significant milestones at the 13th Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference (GISEC Global 2024), the largest cybersecurity gathering in the Middle East. Hosted from April 23 to 25, 2024, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the event saw over 750 cybersecurity companies, marking a 50% increase from the previous year, and attracted more than 20,000 experts from over 130 countries to tackle digital threats.
GISEC Global 2024 hosted exclusive cybersecurity events, including the inaugural Global CyberDrill, organized with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) hosted by the Council. This drill simulated real-world scenarios to test the protection systems of targeted organizations, involving CERT, CIRT, and CSIRT teams from over 100 countries to enhance international partnerships and improve global cybersecurity.
For the first time, information security teams from various government entities participated in the "Capture the Flag" competition organized by the Council and DESC at GISEC Global. Startups from across the region also competed in the UnLock Startup Pitch Competition as part of GISEC Cyber Stars.
This year's exhibition highlighted women's leadership in cybersecurity, featuring 10 sessions on the Dark Stage. The Council set three Guinness World Records, including the largest awareness session on the Internet of Things, with 293 participants from 104 nationalities. The Council partnered with emt Distribution to create a "Cyber Escape Room" scenario for skill enhancement.
GISEC Global 2024 introduces the GISEC Cyber Excellence Awards, in partnership with the Cybersecurity Council and United Cybersecurity Alliance, to honor key contributors and visionaries in the Middle East and Africa's cybersecurity industry.
GISEC Global will introduce GISEC Armory as part of this year’s new activities, showcasing top open-source projects, tools, and solutions. This initiative allows developers to present their work and network with cybersecurity professionals.
 

The AI-Driven Cyber Resilience attracted over 350 expert speakers and 1,000 ethical hackers to address the rising global threats of cybercrime and demystify their activities. Participants provided over 300 hours of content across nine different platforms.
The program offered over 300 hours of future-oriented content to enhance attendee experiences. Key activities included executive meetings, discussion panels, and Defense Track to address risk mitigation. The international exhibition featured Ask the Hacker and True Stories sessions, where for the first time ever on a public platform, top global IT officials shared real-life accounts of ransomware threats and attacks, some valued at nearly one billion US dollars, along with financial fraud and celebrity phone hacks.