Latest news with #cybersecurityprofessionals
Zawya
6 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Corporate and academic teams welcome to register in a new Kaspersky contest
Kaspersky announces the registration opening for its brand-new Kaspersky{CTF} (Capture the Flag) competition, inviting academic and corporate teams from around the globe to compete in a battle of skill, strategy and innovation. The competition will run in five regional streams, with the winning teams of each stream getting a unique opportunity to join the finals as part of Kaspersky's Security Analyst Summit in Thailand on October 25-28 and compete for an $18,000 prize pool. In an era where cyberthreats continue to evolve, Kaspersky remains committed to fostering cybersecurity talent and upskilling cybersecurity professionals worldwide to help them counter the constantly developing threat landscape. In May, Kaspersky hosted SAS CTF (Security Analyst Summit Capture the Flag) qualifiers for the community of cybersecurity researchers, defining eight teams that will meet at the finals. The new CTF competition — Kaspersky{CTF} — is designed to reach out to an even broader audience of researchers and bring together teams from academic and corporate fields, offering a platform for both rising talents and established experts to test their skills on a grand scale. Registration for the competition is open for the participating teams, here. To register their team, potential participants should choose one of the regional streams: North America, South America and the Caribbean Europe The Middle East, Turkiye and Africa Russia and the CIS Asia and Oceania To complete registration, all participants will have to verify their affiliation with a recognized institution or organization, using emails with corporate or academic domains. On August 30-31, the teams, that passed the registration, will step up to the 24-hour online CTF tournament that will define regional winners. During the challenge, they will face cutting-edge cybersecurity tasks, ranging from cryptography and reverse engineering to web security, and undoubtedly AI. The META stream of the competition is organized with the support of the UAE Cyber Security Council. The Council plays a vital role in securing the nation's digital transformation and supporting initiatives that enhance cyber resilience within the local market. H.E Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cyber Security Council, stated: "The UAE Cyber Security Council is committed to fostering a resilient and forward-looking cyber environment". He added: "We recognize the critical importance of nurturing cybersecurity talent and commend initiatives like the Kaspersky CTF for empowering cybersecurity professionals and strengthening community cooperation". The winners of five regional Kaspersky{CTF} streams will have an opportunity to receive an exclusive invitation and travel coverage to the SAS CTF 2025 on-site finals in Thailand to compete for the main prize together with eight SAS CTF finalists. "Organizations supporting or participating in CTFs not only strengthen internal cyber capabilities but also signal a proactive commitment to talent development and industry leadership. For young researchers, Kaspersky{CTF} is a unique opportunity to meet the real-world challenges and realize that work in cybersecurity is worth it," commented Igor Kuznetsov, Director of Kaspersky's Global Research & Analysis Team. In preparation for the main event, Kaspersky will organize a series of educational sessions designed to enhance participants' competitive readiness. These webinars will cover teaser tasks and strategies for effective CTF performance at SAS CTF finals. About Kaspersky Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. With over a billion devices protected to date from emerging cyberthreats and targeted attacks, Kaspersky's deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services to protect individuals, businesses, critical infrastructure, and governments around the globe. The company's comprehensive security portfolio includes leading digital life protection for personal devices, specialized security products and services for companies, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. We help millions of individuals and over 200,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them.
Associated Press
20-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
AI CERTs® Launches AI+ Security Level 3™ to Equip Cyber Pros for Intelligent Threat Defense
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, July 19, 2025 / / -- As the arms race between cyber attackers and defenders accelerates into the era of artificial intelligence (AI), AI CERTs®, a global leader in vendor-aligned, role-based certifications in artificial intelligence, has officially launched its most advanced security credential yet—AI+ Security Level 3™. Designed for seasoned cybersecurity professionals, this certification provides advanced training in AI and machine learning applications. It also focuses on cutting-edge threat defense, secure system engineering, and predictive risk mitigation. Building on foundational knowledge acquired in AI+ Security Levels 1™ and 2™, this 12-module, exam-based certification goes beyond theory to equip learners with hands-on expertise in AI-driven cybersecurity. The course covers advanced topics such as adversarial AI, deep learning, and AI-enhanced identity and access management. Learners also gain the skills needed to defend against evolving threats across networks, endpoints, cloud infrastructure, and IoT ecosystems. Candidates enrolling in AI Security Level 3 are expected to have advanced Python programming skills, a strong grasp of machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch, and solid experience in cybersecurity operations. The course explores key domains such as AI for container and blockchain security, physical and IoT security, and AI-integrated zero-trust architectures. It culminates in a capstone project, where candidates apply their knowledge to engineer full-scale AI security solutions tailored to real-world challenges. AI+ Security Level 3™ is performance-based, with no mandatory prerequisites. Candidates are evaluated through a 90-minute examination comprising 50 multiple-choice questions, with a minimum passing score of 70%. Recertification is required annually, with a three-month prior notification and a streamlined renewal process. Learners will gain hands-on exposure to tools currently leading the cybersecurity industry, including Splunk User Behavior Analytics (UBA), Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Azure AD Conditional Access, and the Adversarial Robustness Toolbox (ART). These tools are integrated throughout the curriculum to mirror real-world application and relevance. Core objectives of the course include applying deep learning to cyber defense, integrating AI into cloud and container security frameworks, enhancing identity management through intelligent automation, and deploying AI for IoT and physical system protection. The curriculum is laser-focused on operational excellence, predictive intelligence, and AI-powered mitigation strategies in dynamic threat environments. Career opportunities post-certification are both lucrative and rapidly expanding. While traditional cybersecurity roles offer median salaries around $59,000, those equipped with AI security skills command figures as high as $134,000—a remarkable 126% salary uplift. High-growth roles include AI Security Engineers, Threat Intelligence Architects, Deep Learning Security Specialists, and Zero Trust Strategists. The timing of this certification could not be more urgent. According to recent industry studies, 84% of cybersecurity professionals report that AI significantly enhances their ability to respond to modern threats. With the global AI security market expected to exceed $133 billion by 2030, demand for AI-literate security professionals is surging. As the cybersecurity landscape becomes increasingly complex and AI-enabled, AI CERTs® remains at the forefront, preparing professionals not just for today's challenges—but for tomorrow's intelligent battlefield. For enrollment and further details on the AI+ Security Level 3™ certification, visit or contact [email protected]. About AI CERTs®: AI CERTs® is a globally recognized certification body specializing in role-based credentials in artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies. Aligned with ISO 17024:2012 standards, its programs set a global benchmark for quality and credibility, empowering professionals with practical, job-ready skills through hands-on, real-world application. Serving a broad spectrum of roles, from developers and data analysts to business leaders and frontline teams—AI CERTs® bridges the global tech skills gap with our ever-expanding portfolio. With 50+ new certifications in development, the organization remains firmly positioned at the forefront of emerging technology education. For more information, visit For Media Queries: Email: [email protected] Chintan Dave AI CERTs + 1646-429-0343 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Tahawul Tech
11-07-2025
- Health
- Tahawul Tech
Behind the Firewalls: Celebrating figures that safeguard the UAE's critical sectors
Critical industry sectors such as healthcare, government and utilities services are becoming increasingly reliant on digital systems, and as these systems grow more sophisticated, so do the threats that target them. At the heart of this delicate balance between innovation and security lies a group often overlooked – network and cyber security professionals. Imagine a hospital's life-support systems faltering during critical surgery, a school building's security lockdown failing during an active threat drill, or a state government's emergency response network collapsing during a natural disaster. These scenarios are daily hypotheticals faced by the cybersecurity teams of our digital age. Their tireless work ensures data is protected, services stay online, and critical operations are uninterrupted, even under immense pressure. The digital dependence of critical industries has made a secure IT infrastructure absolutely essential. As a result, cybersecurity professionals are now as vital as any frontline worker in maintaining the integrity and functionality of these systems. Securing the UAE's Digital Backbone Across a wide range of sectors, maintaining secure network uptime is a constant challenge. Secure network and cyber security professionals operate under immense pressure, often with limited resources and staffing, all while facing evolving and emerging cyber threats. To understand the stakes, consider the critical role of these specialists in ensuring continuity of essential services. Whether supporting a state-of-the-art hospital or a government data center, secure IT infrastructure is non-negotiable. The backbone of everything from AI-native diagnostics to real-time crisis response lies in resilient, secure networks. In a large hospital, for instance, cyber teams will typically manage and safeguard a multitude of devices, many of which contain highly sensitive data or perform life-saving actions. These professionals must secure high-priority Protected Health Information (PHI) data and applications, whether in the data center or the cloud, enforce consistent security policies across distributed environments, and navigate the growing 'Internet of Medical Things' (IoMT). In this high-stakes environment, even a momentary lapse can have life-altering consequences. Network professionals traditionally concentrate on ensuring the reliability and performance of routing and switching infrastructure, while security teams focus on safeguarding hardware, software, and data from breaches and threats. Historically, these roles have worked independently, but today's fast-evolving technology environment requires them to collaborate more closely and integrate their efforts. Resilient and robust networks empower healthcare cyber teams to overcome security hurdles and headaches and pivot their focus beyond core responsibilities to organizational innovation, from improving operational efficiencies to enhancing patient care. Defending Against a Rising Tide of Threats Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with AI-powered ransomware, data breaches and even attacks on critical infrastructure on the rise. Cyber security professionals face the daunting task of staying ahead of these threats, despite being understaffed and facing oceans of data that need protection. Traditional security models – such as perimeter firewalls – alone are no longer effective. Modern security demands layered protections as multi-factor authentication (MFA), intrusion detection systems, and proactive threat intelligence. Integrating solutions such as Zero Trust, for example, which verifies every user and device within the network, and AI-native technologies that spot and neutralise threats before damage occurs, is consequently becoming the norm. Yet, even with the smartest tools, human expertise remains irreplaceable. There's no denying that AI is fundamentally changing the cybersecurity landscape, both for threat actors and defenders. Still, human expertise is irreplaceable. While AI can process data and flag anomalies, trained professionals make the decisions that ultimately protect critical infrastructure. People Power: The Heart of Effective Cyber Response There are two critical areas in which the 'human touch' remains indispensable in cybersecurity operations: threat interpretation and response. For threat interpretation, consider an alert triggered by an anomaly within a network. AI might identify the unusual activity but won't have the intuition and contextual understanding needed to discern a legitimate cyber threat from a simple irregularity. This is where the expertise of secure networking and cyber security professionals comes in, bringing a level of critical thinking and analysis that AI algorithms, however well-trained and sophisticated, cannot yet replicate. Furthermore, the collaborative aspect of cyber incident response underscores the importance of the human touch. When a potential security breach is detected, it requires effective communication and shared understanding between the network and security teams. These teams' ability to correlate and interpret information from diverse sources, consider the broader context and make judgement calls based on experience is what ultimately determines the effectiveness of the defender's response. Bridging traditional divides and applying collaborative critical thinking to complex situations is the key ingredient to ensure our critical industries remain up and running, smoothly and safely. A Call for Recognition and Investment In an increasingly interconnected world, secure networks and cybersecurity professionals are the backbone of digital infrastructure. They are the guardians of our data and online experiences – and their expertise, dedication, and unwavering commitment keep our connected world running smoothly. Just as the opening scenarios illustrated potential disruptions, robust infrastructure managed by strong network and cybersecurity teams enables the continuity of essential services and the stability of critical industries. As technology continues to evolve, so must our investment in these professionals, now and in the future. AI-native solutions are breaking down silos between network and cybersecurity teams, fostering collaboration and streamlining operations. But solutions alone are not enough. The human element—dedicated, expert, and often under-appreciated—is what keeps our digital world safe, stable and functioning. This article is a part of 'The Essential Tech Worker' series by Juniper Networks, bringing to life the importance of IT professionals and raising awareness of their growing impact within organizations, providing insights into their day-to-day work. This opinion piece is authored by Refat Al Karmi, Senior Consultant for META, Juniper Networks.
