Recent research from Trellix, as part of its Mind of the CISO initiative, reveals that security leaders in the UAE who have experienced a cyber incident believe that future prevention depends on training people, improving technology, and enhancing processes. The report, titled “Mind of the CISO: Behind the Breach,” aimed to understand the challenges faced by CISOs and security decision-makers post-cyberattack.
Key findings highlight gaps in people, technology, and processes contributing to cyber incidents. In terms of people-readiness, 64 percent attribute incidents to a lack of resources, while 52 percent mention a lack of IT skills. Technology gaps, cited by 52 percent, include security capability issues and misconfigurations in IT stacks. Process collapses, according to 52 percent, result from lacking tools, while 48 percent note the negative impact of manual processes on mean time to detect (MTTD) or repair (MTTR).
Post-breach analysis by UAE security leaders indicates a need for change. 60 percent rethink their cybersecurity strategy, and 96 percent acknowledge the need for process improvements. All respondents agree on the necessity for enhancements in people and technology.
Vibin Shaju, General Manager, UAE at Trellix, emphasises the importance of balance in people, processes, and tech, citing real-world examples from the survey. The report also explores the benefits of extended detection and response (XDR), with 72 percent citing faster threat detection and response. Respondents without XDR believe it could have lessened the impact (91 percent) or prevented the incident altogether (91 percent).
Shaju promotes XDR as a crucial cybersecurity investment, offering consolidated visibility, automated analysis, and improved investigation capabilities, reducing alert fatigue and overall costs. The report concludes that XDR empowers security professionals to proactively combat threats, elevating morale and reducing risks.
