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META's Cyber Gap Shrinks: Managed Security Surges 71%
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The META cybersecurity landscape is facing a critical inflection point. Organisations are under increasing pressure to safeguard growing digital assets, but the shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals is creating a widening protection gap. Now, new data from the CONTEXT META Monthly webinar reveals a 71% year-over-year increase in managed security services (MSS) adoption during the first half of 2025. It's a clear signal: businesses are shifting strategies, leaning into outsourced security expertise to meet today's escalating cyber risk with resilience and speed.
The cybersecurity market in the META region is undergoing a substantial change, driven by an acute shortage of skilled professionals and the increasing sophistication of cyber threats. Drawing on the latest data from the CONTEXT META Monthly webinar, the first half of 2025 has seen a remarkable 71% YoY increase in the adoption of managed security services, a clear indication that organisations are increasingly turning to external providers to bridge their cybersecurity talent gaps and enhance their defensive capabilities. This growth not only highlights a critical regional challenge but also redefines how security is being delivered across these markets.
Escalating costs of data breaches
The imperative for robust cybersecurity measures in the Middle East and Africa is underscored by alarming statistics. The cost of a data breach in the Middle East reached an average of $8.75 million in early 2025, nearly double the global average of $4.88 million. This substantial financial impact accentuates the heightened targeting of the META region and the pressing need for investment in cybersecurity infrastructure and expertise.
The pervasive skills gap
Despite the evident need, organisations across META, much like their counterparts in Europe and America, are grappling with a pervasive cybersecurity skills gap. Building and maintaining an effective in-house Security Operations Centre (SOC) demands a commitment of resources, including the recruitment and retention of highly qualified cybersecurity professionals. This challenge is compounded by the unrelenting nature of cyberattacks, which operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, necessitating constant vigilance and immediate response capabilities. For many businesses, particularly those operating with limited resources or facing rapid expansion, assembling such a dedicated internal team is an increasingly unfeasible undertaking.
The rise of managed security service providers
This is precisely where Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) are proving to be indispensable. The 71% growth in managed services in 2025-H1 reflects a strategic shift by META organisations to outsource their cybersecurity requirements. MSSPs offer a compelling solution by providing access to a team of dedicated cybersecurity experts who can manage and monitor security operations around the clock. This approach is often faster, more cost-effective, and ultimately more secure than attempting to build an in-house team from scratch. The ability of MSSPs to offer continuous monitoring and rapid incident response without the burden of internal staffing and infrastructure concerns is a key driver of this rapid adoption.
Changing market dynamics
While the growth in managed services signals a proactive response to the skills crisis, other segments of the cybersecurity market reveal a more nuanced picture. Network security has seen a 19% increase in 2025, with security appliances also experiencing double-digit growth. This investment in next-generation firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and secure web gateways reflects the region's focus on securing network perimeters as digital transformation initiatives accelerate, particularly with the construction of new offices in the Middle East.
Traditional infrastructure protection solutions, typically representing on-premise data centre security, have seen a 12% decline. This decrease aligns with the growing trend towards cloud adoption and hybrid models, as organisations migrate their infrastructure to public cloud platforms and leverage native security tools such as Azure Security Center and AWS GuardDuty. This dual movement, robust investment in managed services and network security alongside a decline in traditional on-premise infrastructure protection, illustrates a market in transition, adapting to new operational models and threat landscapes.
Future outlook
The substantial uptake of managed security services in the META region is a clear indicator of a mature approach to addressing contemporary cybersecurity challenges. It demonstrates that organisations are prioritising effective security outcomes over in-house resource constraints, embracing a model that leverages external expertise for sustained protection. As cyber threats continue to increase in complexity and frequency, the role of MSSPs will undoubtedly become even more central to the cybersecurity strategies of businesses across the Middle East and Africa.
