Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
As Morocco hosts AFCON 2025, cybersecurity experts are warning of increased online scams, phishing attacks, and fake ticketing platforms targeting fans and institutions. Authorities have heightened vigilance, urging users to avoid suspicious links and protect financial data as cybercriminals exploit the surge in digital activity around the tournament.
Ooredoo has partnered with Darktrace to offer AI-driven cybersecurity services to businesses in Qatar. The collaboration provides access to the Darktrace ActiveAI Security Platform, enabling real-time threat detection, autonomous response, and protection against emerging cyber risks, strengthening enterprise security and resilience.
Cyberattacks escalated sharply in 2025, hitting governments, corporations, and critical infrastructure worldwide. Repeated US federal breaches, major ransomware campaigns, and economically damaging attacks in the UK and Asia highlighted systemic vulnerabilities, weak detection, and the growing impact of state-linked cyber actors on global stability.
Pakistan’s PTA and UNDP concluded Cybersecurity Awareness Week 2025 with a national campaign promoting cyber hygiene, digital safety, and information integrity. The initiative brought together government, telecom operators, and international partners, reinforcing cybersecurity as a key pillar of Pakistan’s digital transformation and consumer trust.
Gambit Cyber’s $3.4m seed round signals continued investor interest in AI-driven cybersecurity platforms focused on continuous threat exposure management. With early adoption across financial services, telecom, and critical infrastructure in India, the UAE, and Europe, the company is betting on automation to address alert fatigue and skills gaps, even as proof of large-scale impact remains to be demonstrated.
Pakistan’s annual Cybersecurity Awareness Week concluded with a strong focus on prevention but no new remedies for cybercrime victims. As complaints surge and the NCCIA struggles with staffing, funding, and access issues, critics argue that awareness alone is insufficient without a functional, citizen-friendly redress and protection mechanism.
Pakistan is set to introduce Beep, a locally developed, encrypted messaging app for government officials, designed to secure official communications and integrate with the federal e-Office system. The launch comes amid broader concerns over telecom service quality and data security in the country.
The DCO’s Digital Economy Trends 2026 report projects the digital economy will reach $28 trillion next year, growing three times faster than the global economy. Cybersecurity and AI-led transformation are identified as the most impactful forces shaping economic growth, inclusion, and resilience.
Pakistan remains the world’s top country for searches related to explicit content, but enforcement actions by the PTA have reduced actual viewership, according to its chairman. The regulator has blocked 1.3 million websites, cited legal challenges from conflicting court orders, and highlighted Pakistan’s improved cybersecurity readiness.
Pakistan’s telecom regulator has introduced stringent 5G security guidelines ahead of nationwide deployment, treating next-generation networks as critical national infrastructure. The framework mandates Zero Trust architecture, advanced encryption, AI-driven monitoring, and strong IoT protections to ensure a secure, resilient, and globally credible 5G rollout.