In conversation with Security MEA, Ozgur Danisman, Vice-President, Sales Engineering EMEA Forcepoint explains that the highlight of this year’s GITEX would be our Data-first SASE platform, which secures data and users working remotely or on-premises.
What does your company do and why is it important for you to be exhibiting at GITEX 2021?
Forcepoint is the world’s largest privately owned cybersecurity company and the global leader for data-first cybersecurity. We work with thousands of global enterprises and governments in more than 150 countries around the world.
Our solutions adapt to risk in real-time and are delivered through a cloud-native SASE security platform. We protect users, devices, and networks through the web and cloud, prevent the theft or loss of sensitive data and intellectual property no matter where people are working and eliminate breaches caused by insiders.
The past year and a half have seen organisations adapt to the challenges dealt by the pandemic, creating gaps and vulnerabilities for cybercriminals to exploit. This new era of working warrants the need for a data-first Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platform that secures data and users working remotely or on-premises.
GITEX is considered to be Dubai’s flagship event and continues to play a pivotal role in bringing industry leaders and innovators together. During the event, we expect to reach out to our partners and end-users and raise awareness of the adoption of SASE architecture.
What products or solutions will you be exhibiting throughout the weeklong technology show?
Throughout GITEX, we will be running demos of all our solutions. The highlight will be on Forcepoint’s Data-First SASE platform – our unique approach to networking and security that reinvents these technologies as converged cloud services, providing uniform connectivity and protection to the remote workforce.
Forcepoint’s SASE goes beyond just securing access to the web, cloud, and private applications. We put our industry-leading data protection at the centre of our SASE platform, giving customers unique control over how their data is used even after it is downloaded. We help customers make their people more productive and their business safer.
All products including network security (NGFW and SD-WAN), data protection (DLP, CASB) and cloud security (Secure Web Gateway and Cloud Security Gateway) will be on show.
Which are the major cybersecurity trends influencing the Middle East?
Since the beginning of the decade, cloud transformation efforts of enterprises have risen dramatically. Cloud delivers cost efficicies, reduced operational burdens and enables remote working for both employees and across the supply chain. Of course the pandemic and accelerated shift to remote working changed how employees interact with data.
While some workers are returning to offices, hybrid working is a reality that’s here to stay. It’s imperative that companies maintain control of data and ensure that sensitive information is protected: organisations are rethinking their security policies to avoid a potential leak or breach. The industry needs a modern approach to cybersecurity. Forcepoint’s data-first SASE is based on a converged data protection platform, bringing together data protection and secure access to provide a user and data aware risk/trust model.
In a recent WSJ Intelligence research we commissioned, we found that 74% of CEOs and CISOs had reallocated funds to cybersecurity during 2020 and 45% have accelerated digital transformation. This presents opportunities but also challenges: when 90% of leaders believe the biggest challenge is securing ‘anywhere workers’ and cloud services, it’s clear that infrastructure or access-oriented security tools will no longer be able to keep up with the needs of the unbound enterprise.
Converged, cloud-driven approaches will offer huge advantages as remote workers will have even more autonomy to innovate and drive business, but it also means that leaders must find new ways to secure distributed workforces and cloud applications, and drive collaboration and creativity.
How does your offerings enable organisations to enhance their cybersecurity preparedness in the new normal?
Forcepoint is providing security for hybrid and rapidly evolving computing environments, with converged security offerings delivering secure network access, protection of precious information assets, and delivery of unified secure access and data protection that spans on-premises, hybrid and cloud.
Data-first SASE ensures customers can secure data access and usage, by closing down attacks and opening up data use. Today’s reality is that people are working from everywhere, and progressive organizations must address the protection of precious information assets in perimeter-less networking environments.
The Forcepoint Data-first SASE platform enables enterprises to use the cloud to transform their network and security architectures.
What special engagements or events are you planning to network and entertain with your partners and customers besides meeting them at GITEX Technology Week?
Forcepoint is participating in GITEX 2021 with two of our key distributor partners, Mindware and Starlink. Throughout GITEX, we will be running demos of all our key solutions. The highlight will be on Forcepoint’s Data-First SASE platform. We are open for meetings with our executives and security experts at the show and beyond.
Forcepoint will be present at a number of virtual and hybrid events for the Emerging region throughout Q4 we will be speaking at the E-Crimes Congress in UAE, and also participating at the Kamu BiB-BMY Public Sector event in Turkey, to name but two.
What does your company hope to achieve at the end of the show?
It’s good to get back to meeting with customers in-person, and we are excited to share Forcepoint’s forthcoming refreshed channel partner strategy as well as demonstrate Data-first SASE. In partnership with Mindware and Starlink we’ll be helping end-users on their journeys to digital transformation and raising awareness of the adoption of SASE architecture.
Gartner rightly identifies SASE as a philosophy rather than a single product. Adoption of SASE happens incrementally—addressing immediate business needs first, then expanding to solve other problems over time. During GITEX we’ll be working with enteprises to listen to their needs and requirements and offer consultancy on securing their cloud migration.
Where can we find you at GITEX?
We will be at the Starlink stand, Hall 1, Booth C1 and the Mindware stand, Hall 3 Stand H3-E1.