The global cybersecurity community returns to Riyadh next week as Black Hat MEA opens its doors from 2 to 4 December at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre in Malham. Against a backdrop of escalating threats, AI disruption and tightening regulatory pressure, the event brings together the people shaping how organisations defend, respond and build resilience. More than 45,000 security professionals, more than 500 exhibitors and leaders from more than 140 countries will decode what the next year of cybersecurity will demand.
AI is accelerating attack volumes and lowering barriers for threat actors. Supply chain exposure is widening. Cloud sprawl, identity debt and legacy infrastructure are fracturing security teams’ ability to maintain visibility at scale. Regulatory expectations are rising faster than many organisations can implement controls. At the same time, demand for skilled cyber talent continues to outpace supply. These pressures converge in Riyadh this week, where Black Hat MEA will act as a control room for technical debate, policy alignment and CISO-level strategy building.
This year’s programme tackles the issues keeping leaders awake. The agenda spans autonomous security operations, forecasting and threat intelligence, zero trust, post-quantum readiness, OT and IoT exposure, cyber insurance and global cyber conflict. Across the Executive Summit, Financial Summit, Briefings, Deep Dive, Campus, Women in Focus, CISO Workshops and Arsenal, the focus is on practical insight. The aim is to give practitioners what they need to strengthen defences, close gaps and adapt their operating models to a fast-moving threat environment.
Faisal Al-Khamisi, Chairman of SAFCSP and Co-Chairman of Tahaluf, said “Black Hat MEA reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to developing an advanced cybersecurity ecosystem built on specialized knowledge and national expertise. Through our partnerships with local and international entities, we work to empower national solutions to compete according to global standards.”
Steve Durning, Portfolio Director of Black Hat MEA at Tahaluf commented “Black Hat MEA now plays a defining role in how the global cyber security industry evolves. The gathering shows the scale of progress in Saudi Arabia’s technology landscape and reflects a commitment to building content, partnerships and talent that deliver real economic impact.”
Global figures will take the stage to guide that process, including some of the most influential voices in cybersecurity. Among them are Dr Rumman Chowdhury, Founder and CEO of Humane Intelligence; Devon Bryan, Global Chief Security Officer at Booking Holdings; and Charles Forte, Director General and CIO for the UK Ministry of Defence. They will be joined by Margarita Rivera, Global CISO at Carnival Corporation; Jerich Beason, CISO at WM; Tim Ehrhart, CISO at Roche; Trina Ford, CISO at iHeartMedia; and Timothy Lee, CISO for the City of Los Angeles. Also featured are Temi Adebambo, GM and CISO at Xbox, and Dr Chenxi Wang, Managing General Partner at Rain Capital. Together, their sessions will break down the operational, regulatory, and geopolitical realities shaping cybersecurity today.
Global technology companies are also using Black Hat MEA to demonstrate where the industry is heading. Fortinet, Zscaler, SentinelOne, Cisco, ManageEngine, Dragos, Huawei, Thales, Trend Micro, Google Cloud Security and Tenable are among the international brands returning to Riyadh. They join a wider field of startups, researchers, founders and enterprise teams who use Black Hat MEA as the space to test ideas, share research and examine new approaches under real-world conditions.
Black Hat MEA gives attendees direct access to how security leaders are adapting to a fast-moving threat landscape. Across three days, CISOs, policymakers, engineers and researchers break down real incidents, test new tooling and challenge assumptions about resilience, governance and response.
Mainstage conversations feature confirmed leaders from Booking Holdings, Marsh McLennan, Roche, Legendary Entertainment, Kraft Heinz, Xbox and others who will examine the operational and strategic shifts shaping cybersecurity going into 2025. Technical research sessions uncover new vulnerabilities, open-source tools and exploit scenarios drawn from real environments, while hands-on areas across the venue show how defenders are strengthening detection, hardening infrastructure and preparing for next-generation attacks.
The Activity Zone and Capture the Flag arenas take this further, turning theory into action with interactive challenges, live demos and a SAR 1,000,000 prize pool driving competition across cryptography, reverse engineering and exploit development. These zones aren’t just side attractions: they’re adrenaline-fueled battlegrounds where the best minds race against time, crack complex puzzles and prove who truly owns the cyber edge.
Hosted by the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones and co-organised by Tahaluf, Black Hat MEA continues to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by strengthening global partnerships, accelerating talent development and positioning Riyadh as the world capital for cyber resilience. The event’s growth reflects Saudi Arabia’s continued investment in digital infrastructure, innovation and international collaboration.
As threat environments shift and organisations face tighter pressure to act with speed, clarity and accountability, Black Hat MEA stands at the centre of global cybersecurity collaboration. By uniting experts, enterprises and entrepreneurs in Riyadh, the event turns ideas into action and partnerships into progress. From Riyadh to the world, Black Hat MEA continues to define what comes next for cybersecurity.
