Middle East firms equip employees with essential cyber training

Over 155,000 vulnerable assets have been identified within the UAE, according to recent reports from the UAE Cybersecurity Council.

This alarming figure reflects the growing cybersecurity risks in the Middle East, driven by geopolitical factors, increased migration and the region’s expanding digital presence.

Ransomware incidents and cyber-attacks

In addition to the vulnerabilities, advanced threats like ransomware are rising.

In 2024, Saudi Arabia reported 11 ransomware incidents in 2024, up from 10 in 2023, Lebanon saw an increase from two to seven cases and Oman reported four.

These incidents highlight the urgent need for comprehensive cybersecurity education.

Human error is a major contributor to cyber-attacks, yet a recent PwC survey reveals that only 37% of organisations in the Middle East have implemented strong training and awareness programs for their employees.

Acronis

Acronis has reported that partners who completed training and certification under the Acronis Academy program experienced higher revenue growth from product sales and fewer IT support requests from customers than non-certified partners.

These findings are based on certification training data and sales metrics achieved by its partners.

Acronis MSP Academy

• Acronis launched the MSP Academy in 2023 to offer specialised MSP training, supporting the growing base of managed service providers
• Data from their certification training revealed that partners who completed certification training saw an average 60% increase in revenue and a 40% reduction in incident resolution reports

“Enhance their expertise”

Ziad Nasr, General Manager, Acronis (Middle East) commented: “The Acronis MSP Academy modules cover essential areas including managed services, cybersecurity and marketing, all of which are particularly relevant to the growing demands in the Middle East.

“By completing these courses, MSPs in the region can enhance their expertise in cybersecurity, deliver exceptional services to clients and strengthen their reputation in a rapidly evolving market.”

Advanced threats

In 2025, emerging cyber-threats like deepfake technology and AI-generated phishing emails are expected to evolve with attackers increasingly exploiting vulnerabilities as businesses and government agencies rely more on digital communication.

Cyber-criminals may impersonate executives or government officials using deepfake audio or video, making these attacks difficult to detect.

These advanced threats are often beyond public awareness and can only be effectively identified if proper training and awareness programs are in place to help individuals recognise and defend against them.