The third edition of Black Hat MENA, which kicked off yesterday, Tuesday, at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham, north of Riyadh, organized by the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, and Tahaluf, a subsidiary of the Federation, in partnership with Informa Global and the Events Investment Fund, will continue until November 28, 2024, with more than 300 international speakers, 450 exhibitors, and 59 heads of the cybersecurity sector.

Black Hat Opening Ceremony

The Black HatBlack Hat opening ceremony saw Faisal Al-Khamisi, Chairman of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, say: “Four years ago, the founders of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Coding and Drones had a goal to bring the Black Hat event to the Kingdom, and we launched Black Hat in 2021 with its first edition as Hack and achieved great success, where 155 brands were hosted, and today we have become a global destination attracting more than 450 brands with a growth of almost two times the first edition.”

Highlighting the participation of women in the event, Khamisi said. He noted the participation of women in the event, pointing out that the first edition included 28 leading speakers in their field, and today this number has increased to nearly 100 women, an increase of 221% and we are committed to creating a platform where women are leaders, pushing the sector forward and leaving a lasting legacy."

Khamisi said that the event has become a global destination that attracts 450 brands, a growth of almost two times the first edition. "Black Hat Middle East and Africa has officially become the largest cybersecurity event in the world in terms of space and attendance, the growth by almost double, reflects the growing status of the event globally and the increasing volume of participation year after year,“ said Alkhamisi, noting that this event is not just an annual cybersecurity event, but an experience that highlights Saudi leadership in shaping the future of this important sector."

The day's proceedings addressed the future of cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia. <The first day's proceedings included several sessions such as: Generative Artificial Intelligence, the evolution of the mentoring pathway, fostering a resilient and business-critical security culture, the accuracy and transparency of voting reporting systems, and the future of cloud defense, among many other topics.

The first day's proceedings also kicked off with the launch of the event's platforms and platforms.

Black Hat platforms and regions such as: Arsenal, Deep Dive, Black Hat Campus, Tech Workshops, Cyberseed Competition, as well as interactive zones that offer more than 2,000,000 riyals in prizes to contestants and visitors, hosting a number of challenges such as: Aircraft, Smart Homes, Cars and Trucks, Lock Picking, Infrastructure, Hospital Devices, and Controls, in addition to the "Capture the Flag” competition, the largest of its kind in the world with prizes of up to SAR 790,000, including SAR 90,000 exclusively for Saudi teams, and the Vulnerability Rewards Platform Cup for professionals and juniors with prizes of up to SAR 300,000.

The Vulnerability Rewards Platform Cup for professionals and juniors with prizes of up to SAR 300,000 will also take part in this edition. <Five international pavilions are participating in this edition: The United States, Canada, Pakistan, India, Egypt, in addition to the presence of elite security researchers globally. It is noteworthy that Black Hat MENA is one of the most prominent global events in the field of cybersecurity, as it seeks to enhance the Kingdom's leadership in this vital field, in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 in supporting digital transformation and building a secure digital environment.