SecurityGen Ramps Up Operations In Middle East Amidst 5G Growth And Digital Transformation Trend Across The Region

SecurityGen, the award-winning provider of cybersecurity solutions and services for the telecom industry, announced its commitment  to supporting the expansion of 5G across the Middle East region as part of its ongoing growth strategy.

5G continues to grow faster than any previous mobile generation in history. But with that comes a greater risk of cyber-attack on operators and their customers. According to GSMA Intelligence, by 2025 there will be around 50 million 5G connections in the MENA region, with around 20 million in the GCC Arab States. The GCC Arab States will be slightly ahead of the global average by 2025, with 16 percent adoption (5G as a percentage of total mobile connections), compared to 15 percent globally.

The Middle East represents a pivotal region for SecurityGen. Over the past 18 months, SecurityGen has recorded significant deployments and partnerships, and grown its customer base with mobile operators across the Middle East, partnering with them to secure their networks. As of 2023, SecurityGen has project deployments and customers across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Turkey.

With accelerated growth of 5G plus the adoption of IoT-based initiatives, SecurityGen sees huge potential for the Middle East region. SecurityGen is intensifying its regional presence by bolstering its senior leadership and enhancing its delivery capabilities in anticipation of this growth.

Amit Nath, co-founder and CEO of SecurityGen, commented, "The Middle East represents significant growth potential for 5G over the next few years. As the region expands economically and culturally via digital transformation projects plus ambitious initiatives like Saudi Arabia's Saudi Vision 2030, the spotlight is on telecom operators and how they can deliver secure high-speed broadband to communities in areas beyond the reach of wireline networks."

Nath continued, "Many cities across the region use 5G for pioneering IoT-based "Smart City" applications. The applications are vast, from connected public transport to efficient traffic management and environmental monitoring. With innovative schemes on the horizon such as Saudi Arabia's planned new city Neom, secure mobile networks - both public and private - are essential. But to capitalise on these and other opportunities created by 5G, operators must ensure their networks are safe, secure and protected from cyber-threats."

Nath continued, "Our appointment of Imad Ayad as SecurityGen's new Managing Director for Middle East & Africa enables us to pursue further growth across the region, and secure key partnerships and strengthen relationships with leading operators and enterprises alike. Ayad brings over 20 years of experience across leading telecom and tech firms, most notably key leadership roles with Nokia, Alfa Telecommunications, Enghouse Networks and Tranglo.

"Ayad's focused experience with VAS and SMS security, together with SecurityGen's in-depth expertise and proven security solutions, makes us the ideal partner for operators who are scaling up their 5G operations in the region with a priority on cybersecurity."

Dmitry Kurbatov, co-founder and CTO of SecurityGen, added, "Telecom network security is both an operational and a commercial priority for mobile operators. SecurityGen's approach combines the latest research into new and emerging cyber-threats with tried and tested, future-ready telecom security solutions.

"High-speed mobile networks will play an essential role in bringing to life innovative projects and initiatives focused on enhancing living standards and stimulating sustainable economic growth. Ensuring stringent security for these 5G-driven ecosystems is paramount. The combination of SecurityGen's cyber-security solutions plus our expert consultancy means we're ideally placed to support leading operators on their 5G journey.

"With Imad leading our growth strategy in the ME region, SecurityGen is optimally positioned for deeper telecom collaborations and rapid expansion."

Founded in early 2022, SecurityGen is transforming 5G cyber-security for mobile operators around the world. SecurityGen launched its ACE (Artificial Cybersecurity Expert) breach and attack simulation platform last year – the first completely automated platform purpose-built for securing mobile networks.

SecurityGen followed up the ACE platform with the launch at the end of last year of the 5G Cyber-Security Lab, a virtual environment where operators can test new solutions and methods for protecting their 5G networks against threats and vulnerabilities. In January of this year, SecurityGen published its top cyber-security challenges for mobile operators for 2023, which includes 5G's vulnerability to attack. Other leading threats include cyber-attacks from hostile states and organized crime groups: and advanced ransomware attacks.