Splunk to Showcase AI-Enabled Solutions to Transform the SOC of the Future
Mamduh Allam, the Area Vice President for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain & Kuwait at Splunk, says there is a noticeable rise in identity-based attacks
How has the regional threat landscape evolved over the past few months?
Like the rest of the world, the Middle East has seen increased cyber threats. Attackers are leveraging more sophisticated methods, including AI-driven attacks and ransomware campaigns, to exploit vulnerabilities in interconnected systems.
Additionally, according to Cisco Talos’ quarterly security trends for Q3, there was a noticeable rise in identity-based attacks, particularly with a focus on stealing credentials, which accounted for 25% of incident response engagements. These attacks have become easier to execute, often using readily available tools.
In parallel, we’ve observed a growing awareness among regional organisations about the need to prioritise cybersecurity resilience. This shift is being driven by regulatory initiatives like data privacy laws and critical infrastructure protection mandates across countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia. As a result, organisations are not only focusing on adopting advanced cybersecurity technologies but also investing in building stronger collaboration with third-party vendors to secure their ecosystems.
Splunk and Cisco are playing a critical role in addressing these challenges by offering solutions that provide real-time threat detection, visibility into complex environments, and AI-powered automation to mitigate risks effectively.
What are the five major cybersecurity predictions for the upcoming months?
Splunk’s upcoming ‘predictions report’ highlights some interesting trends for the near future:
- Governments will define Cybersecurity “materiality”: Regulators will establish clearer standards for what constitutes a “material” cybersecurity event, emphasising the need for organisations to strengthen resilience and define recovery timelines. AI will play a significant role in Security Operations Centers (SOCs) to meet these expectations.
- Vendor resilience will drive Digital Resilience: As businesses rely on third-party vendors, collaboration and shared risk management will become critical to prevent cascading disruptions in interconnected ecosystems.
- AI will transition from ‘exploration’ to ‘expectation’: Organisations will move from experimenting with AI to embedding it into core cybersecurity workflows, automating threat detection, response, and remediation to improve efficiency and address skill shortages.
- We’ll see a rise in domain-specific Small Language Models (SLMs): Smaller, specialised models tailored for cybersecurity use cases will improve accuracy, reduce costs, and enable energy-efficient solutions for combating sophisticated threats.
- Student-powered SOCs will bridge talent gaps: Governments and public-sector organisations will increasingly adopt student-run SOCs to address skill shortages while training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
What are your plans for Black Hat MEA?
At Black Hat MEA, Splunk will showcase how its AI-enabled solutions are transforming the Security Operations Center (SOC) of the future. Our demonstrations will focus on how organisations can unify threat detection, investigation, and response to achieve stronger security outcomes.
A key highlight will be our specialised solutions for Operational Technology (OT) environments. These solutions are designed to enhance visibility and protection for critical infrastructure, a major focus for industries like oil and gas, utilities, and manufacturing in the Middle East.
Splunk is a Cisco company, and we’re thrilled to be present on Cisco’s stand. Splunk and Cisco will be on-hand to demonstrate how Cisco and Splunk are Better Together, delivering better Security, better Observability, better networking, better AI, and better Economics. Through its One Cisco vision, Cisco is revolutionising how infrastructure and data connect and protect organisations in the AI era.
Will you be running any offline or online events alongside Black Hat MEA?
Our primary focus will be on engaging attendees at the Cisco booth, where we’ll host live demos and discussions showcasing Splunk’s innovative solutions alongside Cisco. As part of Cisco’s program of events at Black Hat MEA, Lothar Renner, Managing Director, Cisco Security, EMEA, will deliver a keynote address on “Redefining Security in the Age of AI,” emphasising Cisco’s commitment to innovation and security in an increasingly complex threat environment.
Tell us about your regional commitment in terms of expanding reach through partnerships.
The Middle East is an important region for Splunk and Cisco, and partnerships are central to our strategy for expanding our reach. With Cisco, we’re delivering comprehensive solutions that combine world-class infrastructure with advanced observability and security capabilities. This allows organisations in the region to better address their unique challenges and achieve digital resilience.
We’re also investing in upskilling local talent through initiatives. By training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, we’re helping to close the skills gap and ensure the region is prepared to tackle future challenges.
