Seclore’s Uraz Farukh explores how the Kingdom’s regulatory direction and AI adoption are shaping the future of compliance and cyber resilience.
Saudi Arabia’s rapid digital expansion is reshaping how organisations approach governance, risk, and compliance, creating a transformative moment for cybersecurity in the Kingdom. With national regulators strengthening frameworks and enterprises accelerating cloud, AI, and data-driven initiatives, the demand for mature, adaptive, and intelligence-led security models has never been greater. Compliance is no longer viewed as a checkbox exercise — it has become a strategic pillar that supports innovation, sovereignty, and long-term digital resilience.
Within this evolving landscape, Seclore is playing a significant role in helping organisations secure sensitive data across decentralised, multi-cloud, and AI-enabled environments. Speaking to Daniel Sheperd, Online Editor, Tahawultech.com at Black Hat MEA 2025, Uraz Farukh, Vice President Sales – MENA, shared a detailed perspective on Saudi Arabia’s cybersecurity maturity, emerging gaps and opportunities, and how Seclore’s product strategy aligns with the Kingdom’s national digital transformation agenda. Farukh also reflects on the strategic value of Black Hat MEA as a platform for collaboration, customer engagement, and shaping the region’s cybersecurity dialogue.
Interview Excerpts:
How do you see the Saudi compliance landscape evolving over the next few years?
Saudi Arabia has made tremendous progress in advancing national cybersecurity standards.
Regulators have strengthened guidelines to ensure organisations adopt robust frameworks, enforce data governance, and build resilience against emerging threats. As AI, cloud, and next-generation technologies continue to enter the market, compliance will evolve to accommodate new models of risk and data flow. Organisations will increasingly need to integrate data-centric controls, adaptive security, and continuous monitoring to remain compliant as technologies become more complex. The direction is clear: Saudi Arabia is pushing toward stronger cybersecurity sovereignty while enabling innovation at scale.
What is your assessment of cybersecurity maturity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and where do you see the most significant gaps or opportunities?
Saudi Arabia has emerged as a regional — and increasingly global — leader in cybersecurity maturity. Enterprises and government bodies have invested heavily in frameworks, technologies, and talent.
The biggest opportunities now lie in:
- advancing AI-driven security
- integrating identity and data governance
- strengthening automation within security operations
- addressing gaps introduced by cloud expansion and decentralised data flows
“AI, in particular, is a major enabler. New innovations introduce fresh challenges and require security architectures capable of scaling with these emerging risks. Saudi organisations are ambitious and forward-thinking, and we see the Kingdom playing a leadership role in defining the future of secure digital transformation.”
How does Seclore’s product strategy align with Saudi Arabia’s national visions and ongoing digital transformation initiatives?
Saudi Arabia’s digital ambitions — from giga-projects to AI-native smart zones — require new approaches to protecting data in motion and at rest.
Seclore aligns directly with these national priorities by delivering continuous visibility, intelligence, and control over data as it moves across increasingly complex ecosystems. Whether organisations are adopting sovereign cloud, scaling AI, or modernising infrastructure, Seclore provides the security backbone that supports innovation without compromising compliance or sovereignty. The Kingdom’s leadership in regulation and its bold digital roadmap make it an ideal environment for Seclore’s platform.
What strategic value does Seclore gain by participating in Black Hat MEA 2025, and how does it support your engagement with regional stakeholders?
Black Hat MEA offers a unique opportunity to meet customers, regulators, and industry leaders who are driving cybersecurity transformation in the region.
For Seclore, it is a platform to:
- demonstrate the relevance of our technologies
- deepen engagement with strategic customers
- collaborate with local partners
- understand emerging sector-specific challenges
- contribute to national cybersecurity dialogue
Participation helps us stay close to the regional ecosystem and ensure our roadmap continues to align with the ambitions of the Kingdom and wider Middle East.
