Manchester City Legend Paul Dickov Joins Acronis at GITEX 2023 to Address Growing Cyber Threats

Acronis, a global expert in cyber protection, is set to make its fourth appearance at GITEX Global Expo, the world’s largest technology showcase. In a bid to underscore its unwavering commitment to cybersecurity and strategic sports partnerships, Acronis is hosting former Manchester City striker and legend, Paul Dickov.

This year, Acronis has chosen the theme “Make your business cyber resilient against intelligent and sophisticated attacks” for GITEX 2023. This theme positions Acronis as a leader in unraveling the complexities of the modern cyber threat landscape, emphasizing the critical importance of creating and integrating multi-layered resilience.

At the Acronis booth, visitors will have the opportunity to:

Witness Live Demonstrations: Experience the power and capabilities of Acronis solutions through live demonstrations showcasing their industry-leading technology.

Attend Daily Sessions: Acronis experts will conduct daily sessions, providing in-depth insights into the latest trends and innovations in cybersecurity. Attendees can also participate in a gamification challenge for a chance to win exciting prizes.

Engage in Gamification: Participate in interactive gamification activities designed to enhance cybersecurity knowledge, have fun, and learn about cybersecurity in a unique way.

Meet Paul Dickov: On Wednesday, October 18th, visitors can visit the Acronis booth for an exclusive opportunity to meet Paul Dickov, get an autograph, and capture the moment with a memorable photo session.

According to Acronis, this theme aligns with the growing adoption of future-proof innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) in businesses and home offices. While AI has simplified numerous tasks and operations, it is increasingly being used by cybercriminals to develop undetectable cyber-attacks.

Ziad Nasr, General Manager of Acronis Middle East, emphasized the importance of proactive cyber protection measures, stating, “Cyber protection has become a crucial concern for individuals and businesses. To become cyber fit, enterprises should take several practical steps to protect themselves against cyber threats, including employee training, risk assessment, incident response planning, and regular updates and patches.”

Despite ongoing efforts, the GCC region continues to face cyber threats leading to costly data theft and downtime for large and medium-sized enterprises, including critical organizations. The region has witnessed a significant increase in email and ransomware attacks, with email-based phishing attacks rising by 464% in 2023 compared to 24% in 2022 per organization.

As AI-driven solutions have become increasingly useful in enhancing threat detection and automating responses, hackers are also leveraging AI to heighten the speed and scale of their activities. This includes the use of generative AI to develop more sophisticated malware and phishing messages.

Cyber protection experts predict that enterprises in the region will increase their IT budgets to cope with the demand for effective solutions. According to Gartner, IT spending in the Middle East and North Africa region is forecast to grow by 4% to reach US$183.8 billion in 2024, up from US$176.8 billion in 2023. This trend is expected to drive organizations to invest more in software and IT services such as cybersecurity and improved data management to secure their digital assets.

During GITEX, Acronis will feature thought leadership presentations by James Slaby, Director of Cyber Protection, covering vital topics such as countering cybersecurity threats aided by technologies like ChatGPT, building comprehensive cyber resilience, and navigating the landscape of cyber insurance. Other topics include building an incident response plan for cyber resilience and safeguarding Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace data.