Cisco Unveils Key Strategies for Securing AI Applications in the Middle East

Oman Data Park and ZainTECH have announced a strategic alliance aimed at strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure for organizations within the Sultanate and regional Gulf markets. The partnership combines local infrastructure mastery with specialized managed security services to counter increasingly complex digital threats. By integrating these strengths, the two companies provide a comprehensive path for businesses seeking digital resilience and operational security. The collaboration focuses on offering a scalable suite of "As-a-Service" solutions, including advisory services, continuous monitoring, and incident preparedness. A central component of the deal involves utilizing Oman Data Park and its Nebula data centers to ensure that sensitive information remains hosted within Oman. This local hosting is vital for organizations that must comply with strict data residency and sovereignty requirements. ZainTECH brings its regional expertise and advanced security operations to the partnership, offering tools for identity management and cloud security. These capabilities are designed to help enterprises navigate the complexities of Oman’s Personal Data Protection Law. The hybrid model allows clients to access top-tier regional threat intelligence while their data physically stays in the Sultanate.

Eng Aladdin Baitfadhil, Chairman of Oman Data Park, noted that the partnership supports the company’s mission to deliver secure digital services that evolve with the threat landscape. ZainTECH CEO Andrew Hanna described robust cybersecurity as a foundational enabler for regional transformation efforts. Both leadership teams emphasized that the alliance creates a more trusted environment for large-scale digital projects.

The agreement also prioritizes the development of local Omani talent through specialized training and innovation programs. These initiatives are intended to support the broader goals of Oman Vision 2040 by building a sustainable workforce of cybersecurity professionals. By fostering domestic expertise, the partners aim to reduce long-term reliance on external contractors and strengthen national security. This strategic move is expected to have a significant impact on government bodies and major enterprises in the financial and energy sectors. As cyber threats continue to grow, the availability of locally hosted, high-end security services provides a much-needed layer of protection. The alliance positions ODP and ZainTECH as central figures in the region’s secure digital future.

Cisco has introduced a comprehensive strategic framework to secure Artificial Intelligence applications across the Middle East. As regional industries transition from pilot programs to full-scale production, the company is prioritizing four critical security pillars to manage emerging risks. The guidance aims to help organizations in government, finance, and energy maintain digital trust while scaling their AI initiatives.

The framework emphasizes rigorous open-source scanning to protect the AI supply chain from poisoned datasets and malicious third-party libraries. Cisco also advocates for automated vulnerability testing, including algorithmic red-teaming to simulate adversarial attacks. These measures allow security teams to identify hidden backdoors or model corruption before systems go live.

To address the unique risks of Large Language Models, the strategy introduces AI-specific firewalls designed to block prompt injection and Denial of Wallet attacks. Enhanced Data Loss Prevention tools are also central to the plan, focusing on natural language content to prevent sensitive intellectual property from leaking into public tools. These guardrails monitor both user inputs and model outputs in real time.

Fady Younes, Cisco’s Managing Director for Cybersecurity in the region, noted that the shift to production fundamentally alters an organization's risk profile. He explained that securing AI requires looking beyond traditional controls to protect the entire lifecycle of the model. By applying familiar security principles in AI-specific ways, Middle Eastern enterprises can innovate with greater confidence.

This announcement follows Cisco's broader integration of technologies like Splunk and Robust Intelligence into its Security Cloud. The company is positioning its AI-native architecture, Hypershield, as a primary defense for distributed workloads across hybrid environments. This ensures that security policies remain close to the data, regardless of where the AI application resides.

The Middle East has become a primary staging ground for these strategies due to aggressive national initiatives such as the UAE’s Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. These high-stakes environments demand robust protection for critical infrastructure and smart city projects. This guidance provides a technical roadmap for navigating a high-growth digital environment.