Arabian Reseller - July 2022

JUNE-JULY 2022 Volume 4 | Issue 1

www.arabianreseller.com

Empowering the Channel KIOXIA's ExceLENS Cricket League brings the channel closer through sporting events and other initiatives

Interviews | Women in Tech | Expert View

LOOK SHARP. SOUND AWESOME.

LISTEN TO THIS: 274%

Growth of video meetings from 2019 to 20201

71%

Information workers who use video at least once a day2

#2 AND

#3

Rank of web and group VC solutions among enterprise digital investments3

ADVANTAGES OF RALLY BAR MINI Superior Performance in Small Rooms: With studio-quality audio and video and AI-driven performance, Rally Bar Mini sets new standards for video collaboration.

Flexible Deployment Options: Run meetings in appliance mode without a computer for Microsoft Teams, Zoom, GoTo, Pexip, or RingCentral. Or, connect to a computer or laptop and use with any software.

Simple Setup and Cable Management: Place on a table or credenza or add a wall or TV mount for a sleek space-saving set up. Integrated cable management keeps connections tight.

Small room solution with Logitech Tap for Zoom Rooms.

Easy to monitor, manage, and support: Stay informed and ahead with Logitech Sync.

Monitor status, push firmware updates, and gain insights with metrics like people count.

@newcommea Authorized Distributors

info@newcomme.com www.newcomme.com

1-, 2- or 3-Pack Model# MX5500 MX5501 MX5502 .

MX5503

Atlas Pro 6

Whole Home Mesh WiFi 6 Dual-Band System Powered by

New Launch

Covers homes with up to

4-5 bedrooms 90+ Devices AX5400 up to 5.4 Gbps

A better WiFi has arrived Simultaneous video calls, gaming and high-speed data capacity

Key Features

More WiFi Channels Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) reduces interference from neighboring networks.

Mesh WiFi 6 delivers true gigabit speeds—up to 5.4 Gbps with 6-stream connectivity—throughout your entire home inside & out.

160 MHz Capable Access to 160 MHz channels—the least congested on the 5GHz band—unleashes WiFi 6’s incredibly fast connectivity, allowing workfrom-home, online learning, streaming & gaming devices to operate simultaneously without reduced bandwidth.

Industry-Leading Technology The Qualcomm™ Immersive Home 216 Platform transforms home & business WiFi to wired-like stability and speed.

Easy Setup and Control It’s simple to set up and lets you manage your network or prioritise devices from anywhere, all with the free Linksys app.

Easily Control your Network, Anytime, from Anywhere Multi-site cloud managed Wireless Access Points purpose built for business networks.

IN-WALL 1300AC WiFi 5 MU-MIMO Cloud Managed Wireless Access Point

Outdoor 1300AC WiFi 5 MU-MIMO Cloud Managed Wireless Access Point

LAPAC1300CW

LAPAC1300CE

Dual-Band 802.11AC Wave 2 MU-MIMO (2.4GHz + 5GHz) 3 Gigabit Ethernet Ports 802.3af PoE and 802.3at PoE+ Compliant 802.3af PoE Passthrough (requires 802.3at PoE+ Input) Two-Factor Authentication for Cloud Account Login Reduce time on-site with Zero Touch Provisioning Limited Lifetime Cloud Management

Dual-Band 802.11AC Wave 2 MU-MIMO (2.4GHz + 5GHz) 2x2:2 for AC1300 Speeds (400Mbps + 867Mbps) Four (4) Removable Antennas (SMA) IP67 Rated for Outdoor Applications 802.3af/at PoE or PoE+ Support Limited Lifetime Cloud Management TAA Compliant linksys.com/ae/for-business

>>>

SPECIAL SECTIONS 12. Empowering the Channel 16. How Cybersecurity Readiness Prevents SMBs from Fuelling Supply Chain Attacks?

CONTENTS

12

17. How Cybercriminals Target Cryptocurrency?

18. Women in Tech: Azin Alikhani of ASUS Middle East 20. The Rising Risk of Ransomware Attacks on Organisations and How to Mitigate it 22. Living Life on the Edge: The Biggest Shake-Up Yet in the Cloud Market 23. Ethics and Honesty as a Behaviour Change

18

24. Interview: Alaa Bawab of Lenovo 26. Proofpoint’s “2022 Voice of the CISO Report” Offers Insights Into CISO Challenges, Expectations and Priorities

30

28. Why Context is Everything When it Comes to Cybersecurity?

29. Innovating at the Edge – Is This the Future of SMBs? 30. Interview: Bashar Bashaireh of Cloudflare

>>>

24

PRODUCT REVIEWS

16

32. HONOR Magic4 Pro 33. ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED (H5600) 34. Linksys Atlas Pro 6 Dual-Band Mesh WiFi 6 System (3-Pack) 35. ASUS ZenWiFi Pro XT12

17

36. HUAWEI Watch D

28 4

EDITORIAL JUNE-JULY 2022 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Chris N. Fernando chris@ryshamedia.com SALES AND MARKETING

Ranbir Sen ranbir@ryshamedia.com ASSISTANT EDITOR

Edward Frank edward@ryshamedia.com

>>>

Chris Fernando

Cybercrime is Ever-Evolving Cybercrime is nothing new, but increased levels of connectivity, remote working, reliance on technology, and automation means the risk of attack is rising rapidly.

All criminals target vulnerabilities, and this is no different online. Gaps in your defences can be targeted both at a human and system level.

Pandemic aside, the last five years have seen several significant data security breaches at high-profile organisations.

Businesses must be better prepared and equipped to identify and respond to digital threats.

Even larger corporate organisations that invest significantly in IT security must stay constantly up to date with the evolving cyber threat landscape.

According to a report by Cybersecurity Ventures, global cybercrime costs will grow by 15 percent per year over the next five years. This will reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015.

According to the researchers, this represents the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history, risks the incentives for innovation and investment, and is exponentially larger than the damage inflicted from natural disasters in a year.

In this issue, we have published comments from industry experts on their take on how the overall cybercrime and cyberthreat landscape is evolving. You will read all about how cybercriminals are increasingly targeting cryptocurrencies.

We have a special report from ManageEngine about the risk of ransomware attacks on organisations and ways to mitigate it. In addition, we have also published Proofpoint's 2022 Voice of the CISO report, which gives you a sneak peek into today's CISO's challenges, expectations and priorities.

I hope you have a fantastic read this month.

Kindly send in your suggestions, queries and inputs about the magazine to chris@ryshamedia.com.

COPY EDITOR

Priyan Sampath priyan@ryshamedia.com SENIOR WRITER

Nisha Seth info@ryshamedia.com WRITER

Vishal Jagani info@ryshamedia.com GRAPHICS DESIGNER

John Christy info@ryshamedia.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Prarthana Mary prarthana@ryshamedia.com DIGITAL TEAM

Context Media LLP, Chennai, India. info@contextgroup.net www.arabianreseller.com

C O N TA C T I N F O R M AT I O N Rysha Media LLC, Sharjah Media City (SHAMS), Al Messaned, Al Bataeh, Sharjah, UAE. sales@ryshamedia.com www.ryshamedia.com ALL RIGHT RESERVED While the publisher has made all efforts to ensure the accuracy of information in the magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors whatsoever.

Copyright @2022

Cover Photo and Design by Ranbir Sen

5

NEWS //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

Develop and deploy green product design principles • AVEVA has begun researching and benchmarking the efficiency and energy consumption of its software with a view to fostering green product design principles.

• Additionally, AVEVA last year joined the Green Software Foundation to contribute to an industry-wide reduction in carbon emissions.

AVEVA Deepens Commitment to Support Industrial Customers on Decarbonization with New 2025 Goals AVEVA has committed to 15 measurable, timebound Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals for 2025 that aim at advancing a better future for all by transforming the way its partners use the planet’s resources. The targets, published in the new AVEVA 2022 Sustainability Progress Report, deepen action around three strategic areas: AVEVA’s Technology Handprint, Operational Footprint, and Inclusive Culture.

AVEVA’s ESG strategy is mapped to the United Nations’ Sustainability Development Goals and aims to unlock data-led innovations for a healthy, prosperous future for all. With a portfolio of solutions that are already helping customers across 12 industry verticals to achieve efficiency gains and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), developing and progressing towards the 2025 goals is the next step to achieving the company’s ambitious ESG agenda.

“We’re committed to contributing to a just, healthy, and equitable world, placing sustainability considerations at the heart of our business,” said Peter Herweck, CEO of AVEVA. “Our software is uniquely positioned at the nexus of the digital transformation and energy transition and has helped customers reduce CO2 emissions by 9-15%, while delivering energy savings of 15-34%. AVEVA’s new ESG goals for 2025 reinforce our commitment to improving our own operational sustainability-related considerations while continuing to help our customers deliver on their net-zero targets.”

Progress is already well underway on several of AVEVA’s 2025 ESG goals:

Develop and launch a sustainability innovation program • AVEVA is accelerating its sustainability-related R&D and launching a sustainability center of excellence. The center will focus on fostering co-innovation with its customers, building new capabilities through technology partnerships, and expanding its internal program of sustainability innovation events.

Reduce GHGs across operations (Scopes 1&2) by 90% • In FY22, AVEVA procured 100% renewable energy across its global offices through a combination of direct purchase, green tariffs and renewable energy credits.

• AVEVA has invested in energy-efficient buildings and prioritized office spaces built to LEED and similar green certifications. In FY23, AVEVA has committed to engaging with external vendors to perform efficiency/abatement upgrades across select sites and explore onsite solar photovoltaic opportunities.

Reduce GHGEs associated with business travel by at least 20% • AVEVA is updating its travel policies and systems to support a long-term shift in business travel practices.

• The company also recently joined the First Movers Coalition, a global initiative working to decarbonize ‘hard to abate’ industrial sectors. As part of this initiative, AVEVA has committed to sourcing at least 5% sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) by 2030.

Progress towards gender equality with 50% new women starters, 30% women in leadership • In FY22, 35.8% of hires were women and one in five (20.7%) of leadership positions are now held by women. AVEVA will continue in FY23 to implement several workstreams to boost the hiring of women globally. Key activities include interview skills and unconscious bias training, as well as strengthening talent acquisition procedures.

6

Proven Consult Partners with Leading Insurance Firm in Africa to Provide Intelligent Business Automation Proven Consult has partnered with a prominent insurance company headquartered in Nairobi, and operating in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The partnership aims to accelerate digital transformation in the insurance industry in Africa through the implementation of Proven Consult’s latest technologies and marks the beginning of a series of projects for Proven Consult in Africa, signaling the company’s readiness to provide essential business services and play an integral part in the automation journey of its African clients.

The insurance provider will be deploying Proven Consult’s Intelligent Business Automation Solutions to automate repetitive and otherwise time-consuming tasks, allowing employees to work on insight-driven activities and increase business efficiency.

As part of their agreement, Proven Consult will assist in the automation of thirty Business processes to deliver the most effective business benefits. The implementation of Intelligent Automation processes over a manual system will enable the company to enhance its customer satisfaction, achieve operational excellence, and increase employee engagement. Consequently, this will also refine data quality, accuracy, and overall process improvement.

“We aim to expand our presence in the region, and on that account, this partnership is a very exciting initiative for Proven Consult. It aligns with our pursuit to leverage the latest technologies for the benefit of our customers in Africa, and contribute to the advancement of their business goals,” said Vishal Manchanda Regional Business Manager at Proven Consult. “Our solutions will help improve their operational efficiencies, enabling them to be more agile in answering the ever-evolving demands of the market.”

Automation has become a focal point for organizations across the globe, and Africa is no exception. Across the continent, implementation of latest technologies is bringing about a myriad of changes in sectors such as finance, bringing about opportunities for economic development and meeting consumer demands.

Vamstar Closes $9.5M Series A to Expand AI-Based Healthcare Supply Chain Platform Vamstar, the leading AI-enabled global sourcing and procurement platform for medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, today announced the close of its $9.5 million Series A funding round. Alpha Intelligence Capital (AIC) and Dutch Founders Fund (DFF) led the round, which also included existing investors btov Partners and Antler.

Vamstar will use this investment to accelerate market and product development plans, deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance its consumables and generics exchange platform, improving data quality for faster e-commerce, and digitizing procurement and sourcing processes for both buyers and suppliers across the industry.

“We see a tremendous opportunity in a market that is largely underserved for the Vamstar platform to organize the procurement system in the healthcare industry,” said Terry Chou, Partner at Alpha Intelligence Capital “The Company’s advanced Natural Language Processing capability sets them apart from other offerings. Paired with the strategic vision of the founders Praful, Richard, and Vishesh, Vamstar is setting the standard for procurement-enablement in healthcare.”

“Healthcare supply chains are under tremendous pressure with ongoing crises like COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and rising inflation,” said Vamstar founder and CEO Praful Mehta. “There is very little data available to help healthcare procurement managers and suppliers make decisions in real-time. At Vamstar, our goal is to empower supply chain professionals, clinicians, hospital administrators and their suppliers to collaborate in innovative ways to create meaningful relationships. It is only by enabling a shared vision for collaboration, fueled by better data and insights, that we can deliver greater value for all stakeholders and the wider community within the healthcare ecosystem.”

Vamstar connects both buyers and suppliers electronically to automate transaction and process flow across the supply chain on a global scale. The platform is used by businesses and organizations connecting suppliers, such as pharmaceuticals, consumables, medical devices, and digital technology companies, with public and private buyers, such as hospitals, laboratories, health insurances, clinics, corporations, universities or Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs).

Fortinet Outs its Inaugural Sustainability Report Fortinet has announced its inaugural Sustainability Report, detailing the company’s sustainability strategic framework, initiatives, and key performance metrics. The company plans to share updated progress on an annual basis.

“At Fortinet, we understand the importance of making sustainability integral to our business model,” said Barbara Maigret, Global Head of Sustainability & CSR at Fortinet.

“2021 was the year for defining our strategy and planning the company’s journey for the medium- to long-term. With our inaugural sustainability report, we aim to increase transparency on progress to date and allow our stakeholders – including customers, partners, employees, suppliers, shareholders, and communities – to better understand our corporate social responsibility approach, leading with ambition towards a more sustainable world and safer internet.”

company’s waste, and reduction in energy consumption. Through these initiatives, the company ensures that each generation of Fortinet products consumes less energy than the prior generation.

•

Growing an inclusive cybersecurity workforce: Fortinet is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture. Fortinet’s team represents a broad range of cultures, demographics, and professional backgrounds, enriching the company culture and driving its success. As part of its ongoing commitment to transparency and to bringing more women into the cyber workforce, the company has released its workforce data in 2021 and highlighted an increase of 71.6% in its women hires compared to 2020.

Fortinet is also focused on reducing the cybersecurity skills gap across a wide and diverse range of audiences. The company is committed to raising awareness of the benefits of cybersecurity careers and improving opportunities for under-represented groups through its Education Outreach program and training offered through the Fortinet Training Institute.

•

Promoting responsible business: Fortinet employs corporate governance practices to do business ethically and work diligently to ensure compliance with all laws and respect of human rights. Those practices are overseen

by Fortinet’s Board of Directors and reviewed by our internal cross-functional Ethics Committee. We expect our employees, suppliers, and partners to do their part in helping us build a highly ethical and reputable business by understanding and complying with all of Fortinet’s policies, including our anti-corruption policy, our Code of Business Conduct, and Ethics and privacy policy.

Following a materiality assessment conducted in 2021 to identify and prioritize the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues that are most significant to Fortinet’s business and to its stakeholders, the company defined the following four main areas of impact: •

Innovating for a safe internet: Fortinet is committed to advancing cybersecurity, driving digital progress, and creating a trustworthy and safe digital world.

The company delivers on this commitment through innovation, community engagement, and partnerships. Fortinet has continued to innovate on the industry’s broadest portfolio of cybersecurity solutions adding eight new product families in 2021 only.

•

Respecting the environment: Fortinet is committed to environmentally responsible behavior by reducing the footprint of its products and solutions, adopting responsible approaches to its daily business operations, and helping its broader value chain progress toward circularity. In 2021, Fortinet publicly announced its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030 using renewable energy, energy, and carbon efficiency methodologies, and emission offset programs. This target is relative to Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions resulting from the company’s owned facilities worldwide, in alignment with the Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTi).

Fortinet’s other environmental efforts include the introduction of biodegradable packaging to the company’s first class of products, reduction of the

7

Fortinet’s Sustainability Report references the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, Sustainability Accountability Standards Board (SASB) Standards, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The report provides details and metrics on the following eight priority issues: cybersecurity risks to society; information security & privacy; product environmental impacts; environmental management & climate change impacts; diversity, equity, and inclusion; cybersecurity skills gap; business ethics; and responsible product use.

NEWS //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

Cisco Launches AppDynamics Cloud to Enable the Delivery of Exceptional Digital Experiences Cisco has announced the launch of AppDynamics Cloud at Cisco Live, the premiere networking and security event. AppDynamics Cloud enables the delivery of exceptional digital experiences by correlating telemetry data from across any cloud environment at a massive scale. It leverages cloud-native observability to remediate application performance issues with business context and insights-driven actions.

Trend Micro Forecasts Major Risks for Organisations in 2022 Through its Latest Cyber Risk Index Trend Micro has announced the findings of its latest global Cyber Risk Index (CRI) for the second half of 2021, standing at -0.04, which is an elevated risk level in the Middle East and Africa.

Respondents revealed that 76% of global organizations expect that they will be successfully attacked in the next 12 months.

The semi-yearly CRI report, conducted by Trend Micro and the Ponemon Institute, asked specific questions to measure the gap between respondents’ preparedness for attack and their likelihood of being attacked. the findings, threats that organizations were most concerned about globally are ransomware, phishing/social engineering, and denial of service (DoS).

When it comes to IT infrastructure, organizations are most worried about mobile/remote employees, cloud computing, and third-party applications.

“Enterprises of all sizes will continue to have growing concerns on protecting their digital assets as the adoption of technological innovations increases and hybrid workplaces continue to present greater challenges,” said Dr. Moataz Bin Ali, Area Vice President, and Managing Director, MEA, Trend Micro. “The evolving threat landscape can create a volatile and demanding digital environment, requiring smart risk management and preparedness with industry-leading solutions and foresight to protect every activity and device in the digital ecosystem. The CRI report provides valuable insight

into how organizations in the region should prioritize adopting a robust security strategy to combat threat actors to secure their digital journeys going forward.”

The report highlights the ongoing challenges many organizations have around securing the digital investments they made during the pandemic.

Such investments were necessary to support remote working, drive business efficiencies and agility, and understand the corporate attack surface.

The highest levels of risk were around the following statements: •

My organization’s IT security function supports security in the DevOps environment.

•

My organization’s IT security leader (CISO) has sufficient authority and resources to achieve a strong security posture.

•

My organization’s IT security function strictly enforces acts of non-compliance to security policies, standard operating procedures, and external requirements.

•

The results from the report indicate that more resources must be provided to people, processes, and technology across the world to enhance preparedness and reduce overall risk levels.

8

“AppDynamics Cloud delivers power and usability in a single, intuitive interface. It puts the focus where it needs to be—on 360-degree visibility and insights, and the ability to take action that leads to extraordinary application experiences every time,” said Liz Centoni, EVP, Chief Strategy Officer, GM of Applications.

AppDynamics Cloud maximizes business outcomes and customer experiences by continuously optimizing cloud-native applications. It accelerates the detection and resolution of performance issues, before they impact the business or the brand, with intelligent operations. Investment protection is derived from continuous data integrations with OpenTelemetry standards and technology partnerships with cloud solutions and providers.

The platform enables collaboration across teams including DevOps, site reliability engineers (SREs), and other key business stakeholders to achieve common benchmarks like service-level objectives (SLOs) and organizational KPIs. While many organizations still run their mission-critical and revenue-generating systems with traditional applications, modern business apps are increasingly built using DevOps initiatives and must support distributed architectures and services. This pandemic-accelerated trend has spawned an end-to-end experience revolution among consumers and end-users, and hybrid work is contributing exponential momentum.

To deliver the consistent, reliable digital experiences that consumers and end-users now demand, IT teams must monitor and manage a dynamic set of application dependencies across a mix of infrastructure, microservices, containers, and APIs using home-grown IT stacks, multiple clouds, SaaS services, and security solutions. Traditional monitoring approaches break down in this vastly complex and dynamic ecosystem.

Forescout Discloses OT:ICEFALL 56 Vulnerabilities Found in Thousands of Devices Forescout’s Vedere Labs, in collaboration with CISA’s vulnerability disclosure process, today is disclosing OT:ICEFALL, 56 vulnerabilities affecting devices from 10 OT (operational technology) vendors. This is one of the single largest vulnerability disclosures that impact OT devices and directly addresses insecure-by-design vulnerabilities.

It has been ten years since Project Basecamp, a research project conducted by Digital Bond, who investigated how critical OT devices and protocols were insecure by design.

Since then, real-world OT malware including Industroyer, TRITON, Industroyer2, and INCONTROLLER, has been hugely impactful in the abuse of insecure-by-design functionality.

The 56 vulnerabilities, detailed in Forescout’s technical report, impact ten vendors, including Bently Nevada, Emerson, Honeywell, JTEKT, Motorola, Omron, Phoenix Contact, Siemens, and Yokogawa. Although the impact of each vulnerability is highly dependent on the functionality each device offers, they fall under the following categories: •

•

•

•

•

Remote code execution (RCE): This allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the impacted device, but the code may be executed in different specialized processors and different contexts within a processor, so an RCE does not always mean full control of a device. This is usually achieved via insecure firmware/logic update functions that allow the attacker to supply arbitrary code.

Denial of service (DoS): This allows an attacker to either take a device completely offline or prevent access to some function.

File/firmware/configuration manipulation: This allows an attacker to change important aspects of a device such as files stored within it, the firmware running on it, or its specific configurations.

This is usually achieved via critical functions lacking the proper authentication/ authorization or integrity checking that would prevent attackers from tampering with the device.

Compromise of credentials: This allows an attacker to obtain credentials to device functions, usually either because they are stored or transmitted insecurely.

Authentication bypass: This allows an attacker to bypass existing authentication functions and invoke desired functionality on the target device.

Huawei Says its Investment in R&D is Pioneering New Inventions in AI, 5G, and User Experience Huawei recently hosted its “Creating IP, Driving Innovation: Broadening the Innovation Landscape 2022” forum at its Shenzhen headquarters. During the forum, Huawei announce announced its latest innovations as part of its biennial “Top Ten Inventions” Awards and discussed the broader value of IP licensing and innovation. “Protecting IP is key to protecting innovation,” said Huawei’s Chief Legal Officer, Song Liuping. “We are eager to license our patents and technologies to share our innovations with the world. This will help broaden the innovation landscape, drive our industry forward, and advance technology for everyone,” he added.

For five straight years, Huawei has ranked No. 1 worldwide in terms of Patent Cooperation Treaty applications.

The awarded inventions range from an adder neural network that significantly reduces power consumption and circuit area., to an “optical iris” that provides a unique identifier for optical fibers. It is designed to help carriers manage their network resources, cutting time and costs associated with broadband deployment.

The company has one of the strongest standard essential patents (SEP) portfolios in the 5G technology world. Telecommunications is a highly standardized industry, and SEPs are patents that are indispensable when implementing a standard technology.

Huawei executives during the forum emphasized that the company is committed to open research and innovation and believes that collecting patent licensing fees is the result, not the purpose, of Huawei’s innovation. An appropriate licensing fee helps encourage further innovation and benefits consumers, the industry, and countries at large.

Some of the other inventions also announced include a multi-target competition algorithm that resolves some of the foremost challenges in autonomous driving, including positioning, perception, and decision-making challenges in complex urban road scenarios where people and vehicles are mixed.

As well as the ‘Kite’ for Core Networks invention that allows carriers to deploy remote core networks, or ‘kite networks’, for their business clients from different industries, meeting their stringent reliability and security requirements. Huawei’s strength lies in research and development (R&D), and it is the reason behind Huawei’s continuous business success.

Every year, Huawei invests over 10% of its sales revenue into R&D. In terms of R&D expenditure, Huawei ranked second in the 2021 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard. In 2021, the company increased its R&D investment to CNY142.7 billion, representing 22.4% of our total revenue. Over the past decade, Huawei’s total R&D investment surpassed CNY845 billion.

By the end of 2021, Huawei held more than 110,000 active patents across over 45,000 patent families. It has more granted patents than any other Chinese company, has filed the most patent applications with the EU Patent Office, and ranked fifth in terms of new patents granted in the United States.

9

Huawei also has one of the largest patent portfolios in the world. The company filed its first patent application in China back in 1995. At the end of 2021, the company has held a total of 110,000+ active patents, across 45,000+ patent families. In terms of the number of patents granted in 2021, Huawei ranked No. 1 at both the China National Intellectual Property Administration and the European Patent Office, and No. 5 at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Alan Fan, Head of Huawei’s IPR Department, said the value of Huawei patents has seen wide recognition in the industry, especially in mainstream standards such as cellular technology, Wi-Fi, and audio/video codecs.

“In the past five years, more than two billion smartphones have been licensed to Huawei’s 4G/5G patents. And for cars, about eight million connected vehicles licensed to Huawei patents are being delivered to the consumers every year,” Fan said.

Huawei is also working actively with patent license administration companies in offering “one-stop” licenses for mainstream standards. “Over 260 companies—accounting for one billion devices—have obtained Huawei’s HEVC patent licenses through a patent pool,” Fan said. He added that the company is in discussions to establish a new patent pool to give the industry “quick access” to Huawei’s patents for Wi-Fi devices worldwide.

Huawei is also discussing joint licensing programs for 5G patents with licensing experts and other leading industry patentees.

NEWS //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

Taeknizon Selects HPE GreenLake to Expand their Offerings in the UAE Hewlett Packard Enterprise has announced that Taeknizon, a private cloud service provider focused on Asia and the Middle East, has selected the HPE GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform to further expand its operations in the UAE. This partnership with HPE will enable Taeknizon to meet growing demand from end customers and elastically scale up services in line with demand.

TCL Joins Hands with Jashanmal to Bring its Range of Home Appliances in GCC TCL Electronics has entered into a strategic alliance with Jashanmal, one of the leading retail groups in the GCC. The partnership will enable TCL to reach a wider customer base with its top-of-the-line home appliances and air conditioners (AC) for the first time in the UAE, Oman, and Bahrain.

The partnership with Jashanmal is part of TCL’s expansion strategy in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

Jashanmal will be a key partner for TCL in the region, launching their extensive range of home appliance products and newest FreshIN ACs as well as handling end-to-end operations from distribution, logistics to warranty and service.

Commenting on the partnership with Jashanmal, Sunny Yang, General Manager of TCL MEA, said, “We are excited to have partnered with Jashanmal, which would help us in our expansion plans in the Middle East. This partnership enables us to launch our home appliance products and ACs for the first time in the UAE, as Jashanmal is known for the distribution of a wide range of brands across the GCC. Both partners will create unique opportunities for new customer acquisition by utilizing the comparative advantages offered by one another. Jashanmal is more than a fulfillment partner for TCL. This will be a strategic relationship, where both parties work together at every stage of the process.”

“Our latest strategic partnership makes perfect sense as leaders in our own respective fields. Our growth story helps

us continue to expand our regional footprint and product offering to our expanding customer base. Jashanmal is a name known for credibility with a 103-year-long heritage as a retail distributor in this region. Their market knowledge will help us optimize our product range to suit the local consumer needs and give us a major competitive edge in the region,” she added.

Khalid Soliman, Group CEO of Jashanmal, said, “Our partnership with TCL will add value to our business as one of the most respected names in the marketplace. This will help us meet requirements of our customers in the region looking for technologically advanced home appliances and ACs. We reiterate our position as a prominent industry leader in offering the right kind of support to credible brands like TCL that can offer top quality products to customers in this region. We have a close eye on consumer buying trends and develop a wide range of products to serve the consumers’ needs.”

“We will utilize our strengths for new customer acquisition. We pride ourselves for our unique offerings to our customers with a seamless omnichannel experience and convenience. TCL’s portfolio of home appliance products including ACs, refrigerators with the brand’s proprietary, cutting-edge technology will allow us to strengthen our catalogue of home products and reach new customers. It will enable us to expand our market penetration, develop fresh marketing and sales strategies, and increase revenues in both short and long terms,” he added.

10

Headquartered in Singapore, service provider Taeknizon is seeking to expand their regional availability in the fast-growing Middle East market. With this expansion, Taeknizon’s mission is to become a specialized provider in a range of technology services, including multi-cloud solutions, data management, data security, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, cyber security, and colocation services across Middle East.

Taeknizon chose the HPE GreenLake edge-tocloud platform as the foundation for their new services in the UAE, allowing them to monitor infrastructure usage with real-time consumption analytics and a reduced time to market for additional services, as the HPE GreenLake platform comes with 40% additional buffer capacity.

“We are pleased to be working with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, giving our customers state-of-the-art solutions and a powerful platform to achieve their digital transformation aspirations through the HPE GreenLake edgeto-cloud platform,” said Anithan Chandran, chief executive officer of Taeknizon Middle East Information Technology. “Partnerships like this offer a great value which will contribute to the realization of UAE’s Digital Government Strategy 2025.”

“We at HPE are committed to foster innovation and local entrepreneurship, and Taeknizon’s as a service model caters to the requirements of SME’s and aligns with our vision to empowering youth and the local start-up community,” said Ahmad AlKhallafi, managing director, UAE, Hewlett Packard Enterprise. “We are proud to extend the HPE GreenLake global partner ecosystem with Taeknizon and enable them to grow their business with full financial flexibility and predictability from the widest portfolio of on-premises cloud services that will allow them to meet customer demand. This partnership with further fuel local entrepreneurs with latest technologies to accelerate their business and contribute towards the growth of the UAE’s economy.”

Dataiku 11 Launches Enhanced Toolset to Scale AI

Tenable Research Reveals “Do-It-Yourself” Ransomware Kits Have Created Thriving Cottage Industry of Cybercrime

Dataiku has announced Dataiku 11, a pivotal update of the company’s data science and AI platform that helps organizations deliver on the promise of Everyday AI. This packed release provides new capabilities for expert teams to deliver more value at scale, enables tech-savvy workers to take on more expansive challenges, helps non-technical workers more easily engage with AI, and provides strengthened AI Governance to ensure projects are robust, transparent, and ready for success at scale.

Dataiku 11 builds on Dataiku’s recent market momentum, in which the company crossed $150 million in annual recurring revenue and hired tech finance veteran Adam Towns as CFO. The company now serves more than 500 enterprises globally, helping leaders from Boeing to Unilever to speed workflows, prevent customer churn, and improve financial performance.

In Dataiku 11, tech experts can now access expanded tools to do more and deliver more value from AI projects. Release highlights include: •

•

•

Built-in tooling for advanced users that reduces technical overhead and increases day-to-day efficiency when crafting custom code, performing model experiments, or sourcing high-quality datasets.

An end-to-end, visual path for computer vision tasks so that advanced and novice data scientists alike can tackle complex object detection and image classification use cases, from data preparation through to developing and deploying deep learning models.

A collaborative, managed framework for image annotation removes the need for teams to use outside tools or services for data labeling, ensuring tight alignment between subject matter experts, labelers, and modelers.

“Expert data scientists, data engineers, and ML engineers are some of the most valuable and sought-after jobs today,” said Clément Stenac, CTO and a co-founder of Dataiku. “Yet all too often, talented data scientists spend most of their time on low-value logistics like setting up and maintaining environments, preparing data, and putting projects into production. With extensive automation built into Dataiku 11, we’re helping companies eliminate the frustrating busywork so companies can make more of their AI investment quickly and ultimately create a culture of AI to transform industries.”

The shift to the subscription economy has created a new norm in the as-a-service world.

And it’s not just Netflix and Spotify that have adopted this business model. New research from Tenable, the Cyber Exposure company, found that one of the main reasons ransomware has prospered is due to the advent of ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) which has catapulted ransomware from a fledgling threat into a force to be reckoned with. The service model has significantly lowered the barrier of entry, allowing cybercriminals who lack the technical skills to commoditize ransomware.

In 2020 alone, ransomware groups reportedly earned $692 million from their collective attacks, a 380% increase over the previous six years combined ($144 million from 2013-2019). The success of RaaS has also attracted other players such as affiliates and initial access brokers (IABs) who play prominent roles within the ransomware ecosystem – oftentimes more than ransomware groups themselves.

Affiliates who earn between 70%-90% of the ransom payment, are charged with the task of doing the dirty work to gain access to networks through tried-and-true methods such as spearphishing, deploying brute force attacks on remote desktop protocol (RDP) systems, exploiting unpatched or zero-day vulnerabilities and purchasing stolen credentials from the dark web. Affiliates may also work with IABs, which are individuals or groups that have already gained access to networks and are selling access to the highest bidder. Their fees range on average from $303 for control panel access to as much as $9,874 for RDP access.

The research found that ransomware’s current dominance is directly linked to the emergence of a technique known as double

11

extortion. The tactic, pioneered by the Maze ransomware group, involves stealing sensitive data from victims and threatening to publish these files on leak websites, while also encrypting the data so that the victim cannot access it. Ransomware groups have recently added a variety of other extortion techniques to their repertoire, including launching DDoS attacks to contacting customers of their victims, making it even more challenging for defenders. These tactics are part of the ransomware gangs’ arsenal for placing additional pressure on victim organizations.

“Ransomware continues to impact businesses around the world, both in terms of ransom paid and cost of remediation, and the Middle East is not exempt. With sophisticated RaaS techniques being used, including double extortion, it is imperative that enterprises prepare themselves in advance, gaining insights and understanding that help them mitigate and remediate these attacks,” explains Satnam Narang, senior staff research engineer at Tenable.

A recent global survey, by Vanson Bourne, found that the total cost of remediation following a ransomware attack has increased in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. In UAE the total cost increased from $0.52M in 2020 to $1.26M in 2021, and for Saudi Arabia it increased from $0.21M to $0.65M. Remediation costs typically include downtime, people’s hours, device and network costs, lost productivity and opportunities, and the ransom paid.

“Enterprises cannot throw people and money into the situation and expect it to be a permanent fix. They need to align with the right partners, select the right technologies and build the right internal skills. These are wise investments with longer term returns,” Satnam concludes.

EXCELENS CRICKET LEAGUE //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

EMPOWERING THE CHANNEL ExceLENS Cricket League 2022, which is powered by KIOXIA, is one of its kind cricket league in the region.

The event had knockout matches between the teams. The matches were full-day events, with the entire venue booked exclusively for the ExceLENS Cricket League.

It is an engaging cricket league that puts Distributors, Partners and Retailers head to head, as 17 teams battle it out for huge prize money of $5,000 for the winning team and the coveted Trophy. First Runner-up team also walk away with a cash prize of $2,500.

Lots of fun were planned with DJ music, Cheer Girls pepping up the playing teams, and exciting team building games for the teams waiting for their matches with food and bevarages for everyone!

12

THE TROPHY

The winner of the ExceLENS Cricket LEague 2022, powered

by KIOXIA walked away with this coveted trophy along with a prize money of $5,000!

THE KIOXIA TEAM

Organising the ExceLENS Cricket League 2022, powered by KIOXIA, took months of preparation. This is the KIOXIA team that worked tirelessly for months to bring the cricket torunament to life!

THE WINNER

The Winner of the ExceLENS Cricket League 2022, powered by KIOXIA, was team Exceria Pro Challengers who took home a cheque of $5,000 along with the coveted trophy!

THE GUEST OF HONOUR

THE RUNNER UP

The Runner Up of the ExceLENS Cricket League 2022, powered by KIOXIA, was team Canvio Ninjas who took home a cheque of $2,500!

13

The Guest of Honour for the Awards Ceremony of the ExceLENS Cricket League 2022, Powered by KIOXIA, was ace cricketer and all-rounder Robin Singh. He is seen here with Santosh Varghese, the Vice President of Toshiba Gulf FZE.

EXCELENS CRICKET LEAGUE //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

14

15

EXPERT VIEW //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

How Cybersecurity Readiness Prevents SMBs from Fuelling Supply Chain Attacks?

Written by Ram Narayanan, Country Manager at Check Point Software Technologies, Middle East

Supply chain attacks aren’t new. If the past couple of years has taught businesses anything, it’s that the impact of supply chain cyber-attacks is now, universal, from the fallout of the SolarWinds software breach to the exposed Apache Log4j vulnerability and Kaseya last year. Unfortunately, when such supply chain attacks hit smaller businesses who are usually the suppliers to larger enterprises, their impact is especially prohibitive.

SMBs as an indirect avenue of cyber attacks The ‘new normal’ opened the door to several new vulnerabilities; cyber-attacks globally increased by 50% on average in 2021, compared to 2020. Our Check Point Threat Intelligence report revealed that an organisation in the United Arab Emirates is being attacked on average 906 times per week in the last six months.

While security breaches are on the rise, the top threats impacting SMBs have remained the same. In Check Point’s Small and Medium Business Security Report from 2020/2021, we revealed phishing, malware, credential theft, and ransomware to be the top four threats impacting these businesses. So, what does this mean for them?

The reality is threat actors have taken advantage not only of the now-entrenched remote working model to target organisations, but also the usual limits preventing SMBs from bulking up on their cyber security defenses, mainly lack of budget and expertise. SMBs often do not have a dedicated IT or security department, meaning with no in-house security expertise and reduced focus on security patching, these companies are easier to socially engineer and infiltrate.

Adding to this, SMBs usually have employees doing multiple roles, and thus wider access to valuable areas of the business and information is given to them, and so if breached, they pose a threat to multiple areas within the business. In addition, the business IT infrastructure is often shared for personal use communication as well eg. social media, personal emails allowing easier access to hackers, as the data is often not secured.

Threat actors often target SMBs as low-hanging fruit for their vital role in supply chains. This is especially so as such attacks wreak havoc on not only one organisation but entire businesses within the supply networks. By leveraging tactics such as phishing, cybercriminals gain access to an organisation to launch a malware attack, steal data and credentials or instigate ransomware.

Take, for example, the attack against Target USA where hackers used stolen credentials from an SMB vendor that serviced the HVAC systems in Target stores, to gain access to the retailer’s network and then laterally move to the systems that kept customer payment information. As a result, the global retailer was breached and 40 million credit and debit card details stolen.

The key factor to preventing cyberattacks is threat prevention. With minimal time and lack of cyber expertise or manpower, SMBs must adopt a prevention mindset to minimise potential cyber-attacks and threats.

Why cybersecurity readiness is paramount for SMBs Beyond the immediate financial impact and reputational blow as a trustworthy, reliable partner, SMBs can also face legal or regulatory repercussions, operational disruption, flow-on costs for system remediation and cyberattack response, customer churn, and the loss of competitive advantage that can make or break a smaller business. In fact, a tarnished reputation as an avenue of attack can be even more detrimental to an SMB organisation, as the loss of trust with a larger organisation could mean a loss of potential business and revenue down the line with them or other new, potential customers.

With this in mind, budgetary constraints to keep computers and corporate networks protected should never be an excuse, as keeping sensitive data and information protected will bring many advantages and benefits to companies. This can range from overall cost savings, compliance with data protection laws, gaining the trust of customers and suppliers, to protecting your documents and informa-

16

tion to the maximum by preventing any type of data breach.

How SMBs can prevent supply chain attacks By applying stronger cyber defences, SMBs are in a position to provide larger organisations with assurance that larger companies they supply to will not be compromised via the SMB partner or third-party vendor. Whilst there are multiple means to prevent such supply chain attacks, the first step is to have good software capable of covering the entire company, protecting the company’s endpoints and devices, supported by regular backups so that, in the event of a cyberattack, they have the possibility of restoring all the data.

Any device that connects to the network can become a security breach, so it is important to secure all endpoints. It is especially critical for remote or hybrid workforces to avoid security breaches and data compromise. Also, all employees should be trained in cybersecurity so that they themselves become the first barrier to any attempted attack, such as phishing via email or SMS. Keep in mind that prevention is one of the best protection measures available.

A viable option for SMBs is to also consider engaging an experienced Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), who will have the skilled resources, updated security software and experienced expertise to monitor for and analyse threats on behalf of the SMB player.

This is especially useful for SMBs who have neither the time nor resources to adequately enforce threat detection and response.

Partnering with a cybersecurity expert equipped with best-in-class security and scalable solution such as Check Point Software can put SMBs in good stead to protect against the most sophisticated attacks and generate trust among larger potential players. Ultimately, SMBs seek a simple plug-and-play solution with best-in-class threat protection, given their lack of financial funding and skills. With an effective cybersecurity strategy, SMBs are better placed to demonstrate their credibility as secure partners to larger organisations, opening up more business opportunities.

How Cybercriminals Target Cryptocurrency?

Written by Sherrod DeGrippo, Vice President for Threat Research and Detection at Proofpoint

As cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) become more mainstream, and capture headlines for their volatility, there is a greater likelihood of more individuals falling victim to fraud attempting to exploit people for digital currencies. The rise and proliferation of cryptocurrency have also provided attackers with a new method of financial extraction. It’s commonly believed that cryptocurrency provides more anonymity via less governmental and organizational oversight and visibility coupled with the inherent fungibility, thus making it an appealing financial resource for threat actors. The financially motivated attacks targeting cryptocurrency have largely coalesced under pre-existing attack patterns observed in the phishing landscape prior to the rise of blockchain based currency.

Proofpoint researchers observe multiple objectives demonstrated by cybercriminal threat actors relating to digital tokens and finance such as traditional fraud leveraging business email compromise (BEC) to target individuals, and activity targeting decentralized finance (DeFi) organizations that facilitate cryptocurrency storage and transactions for possible follow-on activity. Both of these threat types contributed to a reported $14 billion in cryptocurrency losses in 2021. In fact, Business Email Compromise topped the list of types of attacks CISOs in UAE expect to face in the coming months with 35% of CISO’s being concerned of potential BEC attacks.

While most attacks require a basic understanding of how cryptocurrency transfers and wallets function, they do not require sophisticated tooling to find success. Common techniques observed when targeting cryptocurrency over email include credential harvesting, the use of basic malware stealers that target cryptocurrency credentials and cryptocurrency transfer solicitation like BEC. These techniques are viable methods of capturing sensitive values which facilitate the transfer and spending of cryptocurrency.

There are multiple DeFi applications and platforms – such as cryptocurrency exchanges – that people can use to manage their cryptocurrency. These platforms often require us-

ernames and passwords, which are potential targets for financially motivated threat actors.

Despite public keys being “safe” to share, researchers are seeing actors solicit the transfer of cryptocurrency funds via BEC type emails that include threat actor-controlled public keys and cryptocurrency addresses. These email campaigns rely on social engineering to secure the transfer of funds from targeted victims.

Credential Harvesting and Cryptocurrency In 2022 Proofpoint has observed regular attempts to compromise user’s cryptocurrency wallets using credential harvesting. This method often relies on the delivery of a URL within an email body or formatted object which redirects to a credential harvesting landing page.

Notably these landing pages have begun to solicit values utilized in the transfer and conversion of cryptocurrencies.

Crypto Phishing Kits Credential harvesting landing pages are often built with phish kits that can be used to create multiple landing pages and used in multiple campaigns. Phish kits give threat actors the ability to deploy an effective phishing page regardless of their skill level. They are pre-packaged sets of files that contain all the code, graphics, and configuration files to be deployed to make a credential capture web page. These are designed to be easy to deploy as well as reusable. They are usually sold as a zip file and ready to be unzipped and deployed without a lot of “behind the scenes” knowledge or technical skill.

It is no wonder that CISOs around the world consider phishing as one of the most prevalent and challenging cybersecurity threats. A 2021 Proofpoint study found that almost a third of CISOs in the UAE believed they were at risk of suffering a phishing attack. Proofpoint researchers have observed multiple examples of phishing threat actors create and deploy phishing kits to harvest both login credentials to cryptocurrency related sites and cryptocurrency wallet credentials or passphrases.

17

Business Email Compromise – But For Crypto A popular form of financial crime vectored through phishing is business email compromise (“BEC”). In 2022 Proofpoint regularly observes cryptocurrency transfer within the context of BEC attempts. Primarily these requests are observed in the context of employee targeting, using impersonation as a deception, and often leveraging advanced fee fraud, extortion, payroll redirect, or invoicing as themes.

The initial BEC email often contains the safe for public consumption values, including public keys and cryptocurrency addresses. By impersonating an entity known to the user and listing an actor-controlled public key or address, actors are attempting to deceive users into transferring funds from their account willingly based on social-engineering content.

This is like the way actors use routing and bank account numbers during BEC phishing campaigns.

Conclusion Financially motivated threat actor activity attempting to steal or extort cryptocurrency is not new. However, cryptocurrencies, digital tokens, and “Web3” concepts are becoming more widely known and accepted in society. Where once “crypto” was a concept that thrived in certain parts of the internet, it is now a mainstream idea, with cryptocurrency apps and services advertised by professional athletes and celebrities, and major events sponsored by cryptocurrency and block chain companies.

But threat actors are way ahead of general adoption of cryptocurrency, with existing infrastructure and ecosystems long established for stealing and using it. And as mainstream awareness and interest increases, it is more likely people will trust or engage with threat actors trying to steal cryptocurrency because they better understand how DeFi operates or are interested in being a part of “the next big thing”.

Users should be aware of common social engineering and exploitation mechanisms used by threat actors aiming to steal cryptocurrencies.

WOMEN IN TECH //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

“THE INTELLECT AND SELF-DRIVE WOMEN POSSESS WOULD BENEFIT THE TECH WORLD” Azin Alikhani, Business Development Manager for Africa and the MEA Regional Marketing Director, for Open Platform Business Group, at ASUS, says women add more to whatever industry they work in

18

Can you share a little bit about what it is that you do and what a typical day for you is like?

As the regional marketing director for the Middle East and Africa and the Business Development Manager for Africa, I head five different teams. Since my role covers both sales and marketing aspects of our business, my days are filled with back-to-back meetings. From status update meetings with the different teams to strategic marketing meetings with our head office and the local marketing teams for all the campaigns that we need to execute, and customer meetings in our developing regions such as Algeria and Nigeria.

Did you always know that working in technology was what you wanted to do?

How did you decide on it?

I come from a family filled with artists, and as exciting as that world is, I have always been fascinated by technology.

This might reveal how old I am, but you can consider that from the time a “Walkman” was considered a luxury, I loved learning about them and also loved to own them.

So, you can imagine how much time I spent with the first family computer, learning how to play computer games and browsing the web. It opened up a completely new world to me. So when the time came for me to pick a university major, I decided to study both of my bachelor’s degrees related to IT, IT science, and IT Engineering.

What first got you interested in tech?

My friends and I always play a game, “if you could live at any time where would you pick.” And my answer was always Now. And the only reason is because of the level of development in technology that I have seen in my life. I have always thought of technology from more of a “pro” side than a “con”. Everything is much more convenient by learning new tech and adapting ourselves to using it.

Do you have a role model?

I come from a family of strong women, whom l have had the pleasure of learning throughout my life. My Grandmothers were both strong and intelligent women who took care of our big family and still followed their dreams. One of them was one of the first women Doctors in her university and ended up finishing her studies in the UK, and the other one oversaw raising not only her own five kids, but almost half of the rest of the family while following her passion, travelling.

What do you think is the best part of being a woman in the tech industry?

To be able to be one of the few women in the tech industry in a male-dominated position, it truly represents that although there is still a lot to be done. However, it also shows that we are all on our way to making it a fair competition for everyone regardless of their gender. This is the most rewarding part for me – for me to be a reason for anyone with a passion for tech to think that it is a place for women as much as men.

She ended up seeing more than half of the world. So, I do consider both of them to be highly inspiring! Then there is my mother, she picked graphic design at a time when it was not a well-known subject. She went on to win multiple national and international awards as well as publish and translate several books. I cannot thank these women enough for teaching me to be strong and confident and to follow my dreams.

Do you notice a lack of women in technology? If so, why do you think that is the case?

Absolutely, and although within ASUS, the current company I am employed at for over a decade, you would not really feel it as such since their female employment rate even at the leadership level is quite high. I think that technology is perceived as a man’s thing.

Would our world be different if more women were working in the tech industry?

Our world is different because women exist, period. Women add more to whatever industry it is, so yes l believe that the intellect and self-drive that we possess as a species would be a benefit to the Tech world. It also important to note that success in the Tech industry is not based on brut or gender but on intellect which makes the playing field very level.

What obstacles did you have to overcome?

IT is a very male-dominated industry. Almost every meeting I walk into, the higher management level is occupied by a male.

Hence, I believe the same obstacles were applied to any woman that decided to join the industry. On the other hand, it also shows a great opportunity for all women to aim for this goal and not lose hope only because currently things are the way they are.

They are the ones perceived to be interested in the latest tech whilst women are not thought of in that way. So, l believe that once girls in school are offered or included in more Tech oriented courses it will really open up the industry to more females.

What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in the tech industry? What do you wish you had known?

Never stop learning. The tech industry changes daily, and you need to keep yourself up to date and be willing to learn new things. Sharpen the saw and start over by accepting that in many topics you will again become a learner. Then there is no doubt that there will be a place for you in this industry.

What do you do to unwind after work?

This is a stressful industry by nature. So, it is very important to balance it out and make sure of a healthy routine that you can stick to. For me, it is a soft workout at the gym 3-4 times a week. But it is also OK sometimes just to do “nothing” which is most probably my favorite way to unwind.

SPECIAL REPORT //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

THE RISING RISK OF RANSOMWARE ATTACKS ON ORGANISATIONS AND HOW TO MITIGATE IT 20

According to the 2022 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report, “ransomware volume increased 105% year over year and is up 232% since 2019.” With the risk of ransomware attacks continuing to rise, it’s crucial to shield your organization from these attacks to avoid unwanted financial fallout.

Ransomware attacks commonly target an organization’s file servers and databases using malicious code to encrypt files such as documents, images, and videos on the system. Ransomware can also be programmed to find vulnerabilities on the network and use these to spread to other systems in an organization.

Ransomware attacks are typically executed through social engineering like widespread phishing attacks, but cybercriminals can also specifically target a certain entity, sometimes a popular one. These attacks have the potential to cripple an entire organization’s database.

Once encrypted by ransomware, files are almost impossible to retrieve without the decryption key. To get this key, the victim is demanded to pay a ransom—often millions of dollars—within a short timeframe, usually 24 to 48 hours. If the victim organization keeps a backup of its files, then it’ll be able to restore those files and avoid paying the ransom. If not, the organization often has no option but to pay the ransom.

However, if you fall victim to a ransomware attack, it’s strongly recommended

that you don’t pay the ransom to regain access to your encrypted files. This is because you are relying on the integrity of a cybercriminal. The cybercriminal may not give you the decryption key after the transaction or, even worse, they may continue to target your organization and repeatedly demand higher ransoms now that they know you’re willing to pay.

In recent years, it has become much easier to develop ransomware, resulting in the continued rise in ransomware attacks.

Cybercriminals can develop and execute a ransomware attack with readily available open-source code and with easy-to-use drag-and-drop platforms. It is also hard to track these cybercriminals because transactions involving ransomware are commonly made using cryptocurrency.

Ransomware attacks can result in exploitation and loss of your organization’s critical and confidential data. But there are steps you can take to prevent and mitigate these attacks.

Back-Up Your Data Take regular backups of all your files and data; this way, even if your system is infected, you can erase the infected files and recover them using your backups.

This cannot prevent a ransomware attack, but it can mitigate the risk of losing all your data.

Keep Your System and Software Up-toDate Maintain a healthy patching routine. This

includes updating your software as soon as possible when patches for security vulnerabilities are released by vendors.

To keep your device secure from ransomware attacks, use a security solution that can identify these attacks at their earliest stages and mitigate their impact.

Be Careful Where You Click Beware of social engineering attacks and email scams, and avoid downloading files from untrusted sources as these can result in your system being exploited by malicious software like ransomware.

What makes social engineering attacks so dangerous is that they take advantage of human error rather than system vulnerabilities.

Create Awareness Among Employees About Ransomware Attacks Since human error is a major vector cybercriminal manipulate to carry out ransomware attacks, it is essential to educate and train employees on social engineering and email phishing attacks to effectively secure your organization against them.

ManageEngine’s security information and event management (SIEM) solutions protect your enterprise network from cyberattacks and insider threats.

SIEM solutions collect and analyze the security data generated by your devices in real-time, alerting you about vulnerabilities, indicators of compromise, and any suspicious activity to help you mitigate the risk of ransomware attacks.

EXPERT VIEW //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

Living Life on the Edge: The Biggest Shake-Up Yet in the Cloud Market Written by Simon Bennett, CTO EMEA at Rackspace Technology

The true potential of Edge computing will be unlocked over the course of the coming months and years thanks mostly to the emergence of 5G, Wi-Fi 6, and proliferation of IoT devices. Though these next-generation networks and Edge can both operate independently of each other, the likelihood is that one will drive the other, with the increasing use and emergent possibilities of 5G leading to more operations running and living on the Edge.

applications. These can then be used to help deliver potentially transformative innovations, such as networks that recognise individual consumers and deliver personalised product offers in real-time.

quickly change as businesses recognise the efficiencies that can be achieved by having their own local networks, in turn increasing the use of Edge as a smart way of optimising certain operations.

When there are anomalies identified, these can be relayed to the cloud and informed decisions then taken, but Edge can quickly get us to a point where the amount of data shared back to the cloud is greatly reduced.

Unlocking the value of data Our world right now is defined by data.

We already have lots of it and we’re set to get even more as device usage increases and evolves. Linked to this is speed, both in the lower latency 5G and Wi-Fi 6 offer and how quickly data is therefore produced and shared and in our expectations of immediacy in how we live and work.

Localising the network Industry 4.0 continues to evolve and we will see a lot of organisations putting in their own local 5G or Wi-Fi 6 networks for this kind of private usage to shorten the loop on the data cycle through Edge. Enterprises looking to adopt 5G or Wi-Fi 6 and Edge can enhance end-user and application experience, optimise connectivity to IoT devices, deliver data compute and insights and enable real-time IT automation.

A symbiotic relationship with cloud The key thing to keep in mind is that this is not an either/or situation. Cloud will remain at the heart of businesses. The way they have evolved over the past decade will continue to dictate that – so much of what we do and how the world works is driven by the cloud.

Analysing all this data fast is therefore where huge value is being driven, and in oversimplified terms, this has largely tended to happen through the cloud – meaning it gets sent back to a central system where it gets processed and then actioned. The reality is that a good portion of this data is not always useful or in need of action. Running it through the cloud just wastes time, adds to energy usage, and costs money.

Where Edge will emerge as a real point of difference is through enabling simple devices to recognise normal or expected performance or metrics, creating localised closed loops that can keep everything running. A sector that is poised to benefit greatly from embracing Edge is retail – and it serves as a perfect use case for what is possible in every industry. Retail produces high volumes of data generated by IoT sensors, cameras, and beacons that feed into smart

There are any number of use cases – pre-emptive preventative maintenance, for example, where smart monitoring devices detect when action needs to be taken, such as air conditioning units that need servicing or replacing. There can be a constant stream of data, all kept on the Edge when there is nothing wrong but then escalated through the cloud when an anomaly is identified, allowing suitable action to be taken.

Edge can also facilitate local decision-making, both through automation and through the ease with which information can be relayed to human decision-makers. Again, reducing the time and cost taken to relay information to and from the cloud. The focus on 5G as purely a slightly faster mobile network has been misleading and arguably contributed to its slower adoption. This will

22

Edge is a natural evolution of this. It will allow organisations to use their cloud architecture more intelligently and improve their ability to play to their strengths. Ultimately, combining Edge with the cloud brings huge benefits, from improved cost efficiency to better-informed human decision-making.

Manufacturing and healthcare are two notable industries that can benefit but in an increasingly hybrid society, Edge’s impact will soon be felt by all of us – and make the way we draw from the cloud far more efficient in the long run.

Ethics and Honesty as a Behaviour Change Written by Niranjan Gidwani, Consultant Director, Member of the UAE Superbrands Council, and the Charter Member of TIE Dubai

According to various global news items and reports, money laundering transactions and acts of bribery across the world now run into a few trillion dollars per year.

As per the associations of certified fraud experts, companies across the world lose between 4- 6% of their revenue each year to the employee and executive fraud and data theft. In the case of some government bodies, the percentages are very high.

It’s extremely important to note that lower levels of honesty also come with an emotional cost attached to them. An interesting fact is that if any organization or institution of repute loses trust among its customers, or even amongst its honest employees due to one dishonest act, the same organization needs to invest much more to demonstrate its honesty on many more occasions to convey to its customers that it has now mended its ways.

If there is one key behavioral change that could bring the highest economic benefit to the entire world of geopolitics, finance, and organizations, it would be to make humans more genuinely honest. Are the world’s training experts, HR heads, and behavioral scientists willing to invest their time and energy, and come up with programs that can make this happen even incrementally better?

Easier said than done.

It’s a well-established fact that since the behavioral aspects are extremely complex and time-consuming to train and change, the only other manner to curb dishonesty is to put stricter regulations in place. More efficient surveillance networks, using better technology continue to be installed and updated. Regular and unexpected audits and raids get done all across the globe.

Robust data-monitoring tools have been installed. But despite all these efforts, no

one can dispute the fact that the rate of fraud has only been going up exponentially. And the fraud cases are involving staggering amounts.

The deeper question to ask oneself is – Why? The biggest fallout of the complicated fraud-monitoring systems that are being put in place is that they are actually creating an extremely dysfunctional environment within countries and organizations.

A larger percentage of honest employees end up believing that the surveillance software and fraud-countering measures are an example of the organization not trusting them. Several studies have shown that fraud behavior is considerably influenced by the culture and environment in which we live in. People who live in more corrupt societies are more likely to indulge in dishonest acts.

To complicate matters further, most legal systems have been created to be punitive in nature. In this framework, strangely, the punishment is seen as an end in itself.

Very few punishment systems seek to change the offender’s behavior and help him or her to a new path. To compound the problem, those who give out the punishment may not be operating with a high level of ethics and honesty themselves.

As is said frequently – Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Studies have shown that two-thirds of those in the US who have been set free after serving a prison sentence are likely to be rearrested within three years.

And strangely, from a behavioral perspective, the whole world seems to be moving to a system where its okay to commit fraud, as long as one is smart enough not to get caught. Today, for most wrongdoings, ranging from jumping a traffic signal to spitting in public places to driving under

23

the influence of alcohol, the punishment is almost always an economic one – monetary fines. While this may work in some ways for the poor and less affluent, there are several at the top who are affluent enough to keep paying and carry on with their misdeeds, or influential enough to beat the system.

To be very honest, all of us truly have multiple personalities. A person might have a less honest intent as far as paying tax or reducing his or her tax component. A doctor may, at times, recommend an expensive medical procedure not necessarily required. But the same person will have an honest identity as well, when it comes to being a good parent to his children, or when frequently donating to charity.

In today’s world, for no fault of anyone, there is no such thing as being a hundred percent honest or ethical. Yet, if one can work towards being in a band of ethics and honesty, which could be between 75 to 90 out of 100, and make efforts to remain in that band at all times, it would bring huge economic and health benefits to the world, without constantly looking at ways to increase productivity and nonstop monitoring.

In the final analysis, can we develop punishment systems whose ultimate end is reformative, to change the behavior of the offender on a sustained basis? Something for the behavioral and HR experts and coaching consultants to think about and implement. While each of us ensures that we try our best to remain in the highest band of ethics and keep walking the talk daily. At least for the sake of our next generation.

Remember the caveat – If we find it okay to allow someone to regularly steal for us, the chances are very high that one day the same person will also steal from us.

INTERVIEWS //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

TAKING THE ‘CHANNEL FIRST’ STRATEGY FAR AND WIDE In an exclusive interview with Arabian Reseller, Alaa Bawab, the General Manager at Lenovo’s Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) for the Middle East & Africa, talks about the Lenovo 360 program, the company’s channel community, and its commitment to the region

24

Tell us about the Lenovo 360 program?

Lenovo 360 is a new framework that gives our channel partners a 360-degrees perspective across the full breadth and depth of our portfolio – from ‘pocket to cloud’ – and which enables partners to create complete, end-to-end solutions for customers.

In April 2021, we reorganized our three core business units, Intelligent Devices Group, the core PC and IoT business, Infrastructure Solutions Group and a new Solutions and Services Group focused on verticals and services, and Lenovo 360 unites IDG, ISG, and SSG into a single framework to leverage the full power of our offerings.

Lenovo 360 has been designed in collaboration with our channel partners, to target the opportunities we see emerging in the global technology landscape through advanced solutions such as IoT, edge computing, analytics, and AI. Forty-seven percent of global channel businesses want to be able to deliver all levels of service to their clients, and Lenovo 360 is intended to enable our partners to do just that.

We are now going to partners with a unified platform, one channel team, and structure, with new resources, a new approach, and increased ease of engagement so that our partners can focus on these opportunities with the comprehensive ‘as-a-service’ solutions that clients want, based around in-demand areas including enabling workforce productivity and collaboration, infrastructure flexibility, sustainability improvements, and solutions created for specific verticals.

The Lenovo 360 framework is founded on the three pillars of “People”, “Programs”, and “Tools”. For people, we will combine our best-in-class technical and market expertise, with our partner’s specialist knowledge, to develop best-in-class solutions.

Under programs, Lenovo 360 is the foundation of our global program, which will offer unique benefits to specialized partners. The program will focus on growth, customer acquisition, and solution competencies that trigger an expansive set of benefits for our partners. For tools, Lenovo 360 will deliver tools that simplify channel engagement and provide efficient and

reliable pricing, quoting, partner protection, and support.

million, spending on Big Data analytics will grow at 8.1% to reach $3 billion.

How big is your regional channel community?

As a 100%, ‘channel first’ company, while we can’t disclose actual partner numbers, everything we do in the Middle East is done through our channel partners. In Q3 of our fiscal year (Oct -Nov) the efforts of this channel community helped us to reach our highest level of growth since 2019, which illustrates the strength of our regional channel.

The greatest opportunity lies in addressing these advanced spending priorities and providing customers with “as a service” offerings – in fact, according to Markets&Markets, the global market for managed service providers is expected to reach $355 billion by 2026. Lenovo 360 is designed to capitalise on all of these trends and priorities. Channel partners will have direct access to Lenovo’s global experts in ‘as-a-Service’ and subject matter experts to enable them to build vertical-based solutions.

Do you offer different levels of partnership for your channel?

There are no barriers to participation in Lenovo 360, and the framework is intended to be flexible enough that all of our partners can join Lenovo 360 and experience the benefits for themselves. The new channel framework is open to all partners working with Lenovo on the devices and infrastructure side. What we are focused on with partners is to encourage them to understand the opportunities to expand their business by going deeper with existing customers and attracting new customers to take advantage of Lenovo 360.

How do you onboard partners into this program?

Lenovo 360 is part of our ‘channel first’ strategy, and the emphasis is on ease of engagement and supporting and empowering partners. We don’t want to create any barriers to access or excessive onboarding processes, rather we want to create a framework that complements our partners’ skills with Lenovo resources to address the opportunities they have with their customers.

In the META region, it is clear from IDC’s predictions where those opportunities lie – spending on security (hardware, software, and services) is expected to grow 7% to top $3.76 billion, and spending on public cloud services will grow 27.3% to surpass $6.8 billion, SaaS apps will account for 41% of public cloud software spending, spending on AI will grow 24.7% to total $1.2 billion, spending on RPA (Robotic Process Automation) software will grow 47.5% to cross $159

Partners will be able to sell and customize solutions from Lenovo’s consolidated asa-Service offerings, and our experts will help our partners to build complementary service delivery models via the Lenovo 360 ecosystem. In addition, Lenovo 360 will ensure that partners can quickly get onboard with the full range of solutions through turnkey marketing materials and campaigns that enable them to go to market at the same time, on top of activations such as training, certifications, and channel marketing playbooks, and our Lenovo Partner Hub. How has the program been enhanced compared to its earlier avatar?

The big differentiator for Lenovo 360 is moving away from traditional models and encouraging our partners to look at selling solutions and “as a service.” The Middle East market saw a surge of digital transformation projects during the pandemic, and now that businesses have seen the benefits of digitization, we expect to see even greater sophistication and uptake of advanced solutions such as AI, data analytics, automation, and new models of delivery.

The aim for Lenovo 360 is to make sure that all of our partners are familiar with the full breadth and depth of our offerings, and that they understand that Lenovo can support them to leverage the whole portfolio, plugging in additional expertise from Lenovo as required, to be able to deliver solutions that fulfill every requirement of each individual customer.

SPECIAL REPORT //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

PROOFPOINT’S “2022 VOICE OF THE CISO REPORT” OFFERS INSIGHTS INTO CISO CHALLENGES, EXPECTATIONS AND PRIORITIES Proofpoint, Inc., a leading cybersecurity and compliance company, today released its annual Voice of the CISO report, which explores key challenges facing chief information security officers (CISOs).

While the world’s CISOs spent 2021 coming to terms with new ways of working, many now feel much more in control of their environment: 44% of CISOs in the UAE feel that their organization is at

risk of suffering a material cyber-attack in the next 12 months, down from 68% last year.

But feeling prepared for a cyber attack is vastly different than being prepared.

This growing confidence of CISOs is likely a result of successfully overcoming a seismic event (the pandemic) rather than any tangible change in risk levels of preparedness. Our report reveals that 47% of CISOs in the UAE still

26

feel their organization is unprepared to handle a cyberattack and 50% consider the human error to be their biggest cyber vulnerability, with established workfrom-anywhere setups and The Great Resignation presenting new challenges around information protection.

This year’s Voice of the CISO report examines global third-party survey responses from more than 1,400 CISOs at mid-to-large size organizations across

different industries.

2.

Throughout the course of Q1 2022, one hundred CISOs were interviewed in each market across 14 countries: the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, UAE, KSA, Australia, Japan, and Singapore.

The survey explores three key areas: the threat risk and types of cyber attacks CISOs combat daily, the levels of employee and organizational preparedness facing them, and the impact of supporting a hybrid workforce as businesses prepare to re-open their corporate offices.

3.

It also uncovers the challenges CISOs experience in their roles, their position among the C-suite, and the business expectations of their teams.

“As high-profile attacks disrupted supply chains, made headlines, and prompted new cybersecurity legislation, 2021 proved to be another challenging time for CISOs around the world. But as CISOs adapt to new ways of working, it is encouraging to see that they now appear more confident about their security posture,” commented Andrew Rose, Resident CISO for EMEA at Proofpoint. “As the impact of the pandemic on security teams gradually fades, our 2022 report uncovers a pressing issue. As workers leave their jobs or opt-out of returning to the workforce, security teams are now managing a host of information protection vulnerabilities and insider threats.”

4.

5.

Proofpoint’s Voice of the CISO 2022 report highlights general trends as well as regional differences among the global CISO community. Key findings from the UAE respondents include: 1.

CISOs in the UAE are more confident about their cyber security posture: after two years of unprecedented disruption, CISOs now feel more in control of their environment. Two in five surveyed (44%) feel that their organization is at risk of suffering a material cyber attack in the next 12 months, compared with 68% last year.

There is a lack of consensus among CISOs as to the most significant threats targeting their organization: this year, Business Email Compromise and Cloud Account Compromise (O365 or G suite accounts being compromised) topped the list for UAE CISOs, both at 35%.

They were closely followed by insider threats–whether negligent, accidental, or criminal–with 31%.

Despite dominating recent headlines, ransomware came in at 28%.

Organizational cyber preparedness has greatly improved: increasing familiarity with the post-pandemic work environment has also left CISOs feeling better equipped to deal with cyber threats. While 72% of CISOs believed they were unprepared for a targeted attack in 2021, this is down to 47% this year.

Employee security awareness is on the rise, but users are still not adequately skilled in the role of cyber defense: while 51% of UAE survey respondents believe employees understand their role in protecting their organization from cyber threats, 50% still consider the human error to be their organization’s biggest cyber vulnerability. Despite this, only 36% of UAE CISOs surveyed have increased the frequency of cyber security training for employees in the last 12 months.

Long-term hybrid work makes protecting data a top new challenge for CISOs: with employees now forming the defensive perimeter wherever they work, 32% of CISOs agree that they have seen an increase in targeted attacks in the last 12 months.

And more than 1 in 3 (37%) say that increases in employee transitions mean that protecting data has become a greater challenge and investment in information protection is top of the list of priorities for the next two years. When asked how employees were most likely to cause a data breach, UAE CISOs named malicious insiders as the most likely vector, where employees inten-

tionally steal company information.

6.

Ransomware headlines have largely increased cyber risk awareness among the C-Suite and driven strategy shifts: recent high-profile attacks have pushed ransomware to the top of the agenda for organizations, with 41% of CISOs in the Emirates revealing they had purchased cyber insurance and 53% CISOs focusing on prevention over detection and response strategies. Despite the rising stakes, however, a concerning 53% of CISOs admit they have no ransom payment policy in place.

7.

While CISOs feel less pressured, board buy-in remains precarious as cyber risk worries business leaders: 38% of CISOs feel that expectations of their role are excessive, down from 67% last year. However, the perceived lack of alignment with the boardroom has increased, with only 14% of UAE CISOs strongly agreeing that their board sees eyeto-eye with them on issues of cybersecurity. When considering cyber risk, Emirati CISOs listed significant downtime, impact on business valuation, and loss in revenue as top board concerns.

“After two years of unprecedented disruption and new ways of working, CISOs in the UAE have had to prioritize their efforts to address cyber threats targeting today’s distributed, hybrid workforce.

Their focus has gravitated towards preventing the most likely attacks such as business email compromise, cloud account compromise, and insider threats,” said Emile Abou Saleh, Regional Director, Middle East & Africa at Proofpoint.

“Overall, CISOs now feel more in control of their environment and maybe falling into a false sense of security. With our research revealing human error as an organization’s biggest cyber vulnerability, security awareness education across the organization should be a priority for CISOs to mitigate cybersecurity threats.”

EXPERT VIEW //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

Why Context is Everything When it Comes to Cybersecurity?

Written by Hadi Jaafarawi, Managing Director – Middle East, Qualys

The cybersecurity threat landscape has never been more challenging, sophisticated, and severe. Research suggests that in the UAE alone, around $746 million is lost every year to cybercrime, and the country faced a 79% increase in the problem from 2019 to 2020. For firms and IT departments across the region, it’s a constant battle to stay ahead of the bad actors.

ple alerts from multiple systems and solutions, to make sense of it all.

Add in the fact that several security teams are either stretched or under-skilled, not to mention, that many face pressure to keep budgets in check and it really is a perfect storm. In an effort to level the playing field, security teams are turning to technology. But that comes with challenges of its own.

This is why XDR tools are designed as a holistic, top-layer solution that collects data from multiple sources to provide a comprehensive picture, enabling real-time incident detection and response.

But again, it’s not that simple, as XDRs vary in quality, effectiveness, and even function.

A lack of clarity There’s no shortage of security tools offering what professes to be the solution. And it’s no surprise that security teams reach for them in the hope of coping with the issue and reducing their risks. More and more, companies are adopting an increasing number of tools to add further layers of security and protect against risk.

Some SIEM and XDR tools simply deliver raw data to analysts, who then have to interpret the data and make endless decisions about any actions that are needed. They collect disparate, unrelated data, and it’s up to the analyst to deal with the notifications, analyse, prioritise and then act, or not. Busy security analysts are likely to be faced with multiple alerts in any given day, many of which are actually false alarms. It’s little wonder that it’s easy to miss or ignore that one really vital alert.

Today an organisation’s security infrastructure will include everything from Security Incident and Event Management (SIEM) and Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR) to Network Detection & Response (NDR) and Extended Detection and Response (XDR) Admittedly, the tools each have value, so that’s not the problem. The challenge is that each new tool adds another data silo. Each separately reports its own specific data based on its own particular use and area of the network. And it’s then down to the analysts, who are faced with multi-

When there are too many alerts, issues can be notified to lots of different teams, or worse missed altogether. Alert fatigue — where the team is exposed to constant alerts and consequently fails to act when it really matters — is a real problem.

Context is key Enter the value of contextual insight.

Rather than simply churning out data and leaving it to the over-worked analyst to handle, some XDR tools can go a step further by providing that all-important context. All alerts may look basically the same in one tool.

But, when brought together with external threat intelligence and other security data, that harmless-looking alert will suddenly have more meaning and jump up the priority list. XDR is designed

28

to break down data silos and provide the context required to help analysts get better insight, by creating a consolidated view of the entire enterprise technology stack and any threats. It pulls together all security solutions and functions into one place, giving analysts a single, comprehensive view of threats across the entire network.

By correlating data from asset inventory and vulnerability information, high-quality threat intelligence, network endpoint telemetry, and third-party log data, analysts get more context on what’s happening — leading to a far more effective and quicker response to threats.

Without this context, too much time is wasted on manual tasks and important alerts can easily be missed. This context allows the rapid, focused investigation to be carried out where it’s actually needed.

Providing context using XDR gives security professionals the visibility and insights they need to reduce risks and improve their security approach.

It empowers busy teams with the clarity and context to enable them to make the right decisions and deal with potential issues — and quickly.

Innovating at the Edge – Is This the Future of SMBs? Written by Jacob Chacko, Regional Director - the Middle East, Saudi & South Africa at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company

No matter the sector, all have been significantly impacted by the pandemic and irrevocably changed. We must now ensure that businesses of all sizes are able to bounce back better than they were before.

SMBs are key to building a stronger, more resilient, and more innovative future for industries across the EMEA region. Nimble by nature, the ability of SMBs to adapt and flex to changing circumstances put them all in a strong position to tackle the challenges of the immediate future.

With this in mind, surely, we can expect to see a new wave of innovation from small businesses as they reemerge into a new type of workplace.

In part, yes, but for them to truly speed into the future they will need a solid AI-powered and predictive network to support remote and in-office work.

This will mean employing an agile and adaptable IT network that pairs end-user mobility with enterprise IoT to increase efficiency, personalization, and productivity.

Small yet mighty It wasn’t long ago that digital tools were only available to a select few organizations with the capacity to budget for specialized DevOps teams. Now though, those hotly sought-after tools have been democratized and are available in mass through As-a-Service applications.

For example in the retail space, As-a-Service offerings can enable SMBs to offer personalized, customized, digital, and social experiences to their customers, through real-time access to operational, financial, and customer data across various channels. Small businesses now have the same armory and the same tools available to them to compete in the premier leagues of business.

No longer does size, or even location for that matter, present such an obstacle.

Larger more distributed organizations are at the mercy of complex supply chains – these being made up of various different stakeholders, who’ll often be from different countries or even continents.

While smaller, more localized businesses aren’t immune from such issues, with the right technologies they’re well placed to be delivered while others face blockages to delivery and production deadlines.

At the Edge of change Enter the Edge – where data is generated where the business operates as opposed to in the cloud or at a data center. Put simply, where users, devices, and ‘things’ come together. With the Edge, small businesses have the ability to cope with and process vast amounts of data that can fuel their decision-making in real-time.

In the hospitality sector example, data will become increasingly important for SMBs, as customer concerns grow around safety and hygiene. Providing contactless check-ins and restaurant payments, as well as supporting applications for food orders, will increase the data each SMB is dealing with.

The network plays a pivotal role here, moving data and connecting people to apps and services. From anywhere, at any time. With the Edge though, the network is even more important with requirements going far beyond just standard connectivity.

The shift to hybrid working means such networks are now bound by human capacity and experience – only being as secure and agile as the operators managing them.

29

In fact, our recent – At the Edge of Change Report – found that the majority of IT decision-makers globally said feel there is a skills shortage impeding their ability to unlock the power of the data produced in their organization.

Undoubtedly, this is a repercussion of the limit the pandemic has put on businesses’ budgets. SMBs especially may suffer here, with their ability to employ a dedicated IT team that can ensure the network is managed correctly and restricted.

Enter AIOps With the sheer volume of devices connecting to any given network, manual human intervention is simply no longer practical. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes in to save the day.

AI allows teams to develop policies that leverage contexts, such as the user role, device type, certificate status, location, or day of the week to make quick and accurate automated decisions. By leveraging AI correctly, adjustments can be made even before network issues arise.

The added benefit of AI-driven platforms is that they allow you to reallocate employee time, meaning they can focus on more critical tasks and planning for the year ahead. Ultimately, to keep up with today’s challenging and unpredictable economy, businesses will need to update and redefine their network and IT. With the wide-scale democratization of DevOps services, alongside the growing desire of consumers to look more locally for products or partners, SMBs are steadily climbing the ladder and becoming a force for their larger counterparts to reckon with.

INTERVIEWS //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

COMMITTED TO BUILDING A BETTER INTERNET Arabian Reseller speaks to Bashar Bashaireh, the newly appointed Managing Director for the Middle East and Turkey at Cloudflare, about his strategies for the region What factors prompted you to join as regional head of Cloudflare?

Having worked in the domain of cyber security for more than two decades, I can see that Cloudflare is genuine in its mission of building a better Internet that is fast, safe, and reliable for everyone. Being part of this journey that touches everyone’s life is surely an exciting thing to do.

Having spoken to so many customers in the region, I understand that nowadays more than ever, they need to be able to grow their operations by focusing on their core mission without having to worry about their technology. Cloudflare appears to me as one of the most innovative customer-centric companies in the market. More than just technology, we are on a mission to help to build a fast, reliable,

and secure Internet for a maximum number of people, businesses, and public organizations.

Is the opening of the new office in Dubai Cloudflare’s first foray into the Middle East region? And can you give us some details about your intended operations in this region?

Today, Cloudflare’s network currently spans over 75 cities in the EMEA region including 16 physical locations in the Middle East and Turkey. Cloudflare first invested in the Middle East in 2015. Now with data centres spanning more than 270 cities in more than 100 countries worldwide, the company continues to grow its presence to be even closer to Internet-connected users everywhere.

Cloudflare has about 30 team members from

30

different functions covering the Middle East.

We plan to have a team of approximately 20 people working in Dubai by the end of 2022 and are currently planning to grow that number to over 30 by the end of 2023. We are hiring!

What are the opportunities that you see for Cloudflare in the region?

Cloudflare has been associated with delivering fast content over the cloud in a most reliable and secure manner, accounting for at least 20% of the global Internet traffic. Cloudflare can cater to and support all types of organizations (businesses and public sector) including those with a social mission. The Middle East and Turkey as emerging markets are characterized by a relatively young population, with 70% of it being under the age of 30.

This dynamic youth segment has an insatiable demand for both content and knowledge.

To that extent, there has been a rapid uptake in Internet use, and digital transformation initiatives have significantly accelerated over the past couple of years. This trend represents an opportunity for Cloudflare to add considerable value to regional enterprises and in doing so, increase its footprint and market share.

In addition, the region made up of 13 countries with fast-growing and innovation-driven economies presents a unique growth opportunity for Cloudflare to tap into. I can confidently say that this market is at the forefront of technology and early adopters of disruptive technologies such as the cloud on a global scale. This is being driven by many factors such as Digital Transformation where several countries have embraced ambitious programs transforming them into true digital economies.

Cloud uptake has accelerated over the past few years in the region and the necessary regulatory frameworks and related compliance policies are now in place to propel enterprises into the next phase of leveraging the benefits of the cloud. This transformation is further accelerated as earlier mentioned, by a mostly young and content demanding population-that content being gaming, entertainment, education, sports, or online retail.

The recent pandemic has for sure played a major role in building up this momentum and increasing the urgency in speeding up such a transition. The parallel increase of cyber threats and associated breaches put Cloudflare in an unparalleled and unique position to deliver the required content in a reliable, fast, and secure manner to individuals, businesses, and the public sector alike elevating the levels of productivity and performance in addition to reducing complexity for users.

To do that, Cloudflare has built a global network and infrastructure across 275 cities around the world with 27 in the MET region, delivering the same connectivity at 50ms performance for more than 95% of customers. The innovation path is stunning. Not only do we provide best-in-class cyber security solutions with Cloudflare’s SASE security platform, Cloudflare One, a Zero Trust network-as-a-service platform that dynamically connects users to enterprise resources, with identity-based security controls delivered close to users, wherever they are, but we also offer an open strong developer platform with Cloudflare Workers.

What are your immediate priorities as the regional head?

Over the last two years, Cloudflare has grown

its EMEA team by more than 100 percent and counts approximately 700 employees. For the Middle East and Turkey, the initial functions prioritized for the region include launching new data centers, increasing market share by building partnerships, and expanding our customer base. One of my priorities is to build a successful team by empowering current team members and attracting future talents that would all contribute to this journey.

What have been your learnings from last year and how will you use them to tailor your strategies for 2022?

As a result of the pandemic, we have witnessed many companies accelerating their digital transformation initiatives by transitioning to the Cloud. As Cloud-based services are being more and more adopted by enterprises across all verticals, we are extending our partnerships with key managed service providers in the region to help with this transition.

The recent increase in cyber threats and associated breaches put Cloudflare in an unparalleled and unique position to deliver the required content in a reliable, fast, and secure manner to individuals, businesses, and the public sector alike, elevating the levels of productivity and performance in addition to reducing complexity for users.

To do that, Cloudflare has built a global network and infrastructure across 275 cities around the world with 27 in the MET region, delivering the same connectivity at 50ms performance for more than 95% of customers. The innovation path is stunning. Not only do we provide best-in-class cyber security solutions with Cloudflare’s SASE security platform, Cloudflare One, a Zero Trust network-as-a-service platform that dynamically connects users to enterprise resources, with identity-based security controls delivered close to users, wherever they are, but we also offer an open strong developer platform with Cloudflare Workers. We believe in constant innovation, and this I believe will help us take advantage of current and future opportunities, as we help organisations navigate their digital transformation roadmaps.

What sort of channel strategies are in the pipeline for the region?

At Cloudflare, we love our partners. Partners play a vital role in Cloudflare’s mission to help build a better Internet for customers worldwide. In line with our accelerated growth in the Middle East and Turkey (MET) region, we believe it is necessary to expand our channel network across all countries in the region.

To better support our partners, we are in the process of hiring a regional channel manager, who will drive our strategy and execution with the intention of building a strong channel

ecosystem of experts. Our regional channel program will be no different from the global one.

Cloudflare Channel Partners include services partners – well trained and certified to extend all kinds of professional services to our customers that guarantee better customer satisfaction; it also includes value-added resellers and system integrators who provide sales, consulting, and services, as well as the implementation of Cloudflare products. Cloudflare Alliance Partners embed Cloudflare innovations into their applications or solutions.

From resellers of our pay-as-you-go plans to the most bespoke integration, Cloudflare is committed to making it as straightforward as possible for our partners to build a profitable business with Cloudflare.

Cloudflare has strong alliances with some of the renowned Global Systems Integrators (GSIs), and we intend to leverage such partnerships in the region. We plan to run annual partner events to have a better alignment with the channel and recognize those that have helped grow our business.

Does Cloudflare offer a channel partner/ channel certification program?

The Cloudflare Partner Network is a rapidly growing global community, united by the mission and commitment to building a better internet. Once a partner joins the network, they enjoy a number of benefits that include access to innovative solutions, and generous programs starting from Year 1 and on each renewal. And lastly, a choice of flexible partner models with built-in pathways to grow their revenue. For example, as a reseller partner, by taking advantage of our accreditations and enablement specializations program, they qualify for higher Tier status and greater rewards.

They can also become a Managed Services Partner and offer value-added expert consultative services by helping customers with customised deployments and analytics. Similarly, our Cloudflare Alliances, OEM, and Platform partners gain access to tailored integration and go-to-market support to automatically provide Cloudflare security, performance, and reliability benefits, as an enhancement to their current offerings.

Regardless of the partner path they choose, channel partners are provided with the necessary training, through our accreditations and enablement programs – training, sales support, and marketing resources they need to accelerate their business with Cloudflare.

We encourage our partners to get certified on our portfolio offering to be able to value position our products, pre, and post-sales.

REVIEWS //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

4/5 AED 3999

HONOR Magic4 Pro HONOR’s been churning out one quality smartphone after the other in quick succession and the latest to roll out of its assembly line is the beautiful HONOR Magic4 Pro. The construction of the phone is made using a mix of metal and glass. On the right edge, you will find the volume rockers and the power button, while on the top edge, you will find the IR blaster, a noise-cancelling microphone, and the speaker grille. On the bottom edge, you will find the dual SIM slot, the USB-C port, and the speaker grille, along with a second noise-cancelling microphone.

On the front, you get a 6.81-inch Flex OLED display, which offers a resolution of 2848by-1312 pixels. It also offers a pixel density of 460 PPI, a refresh rate of 120Hz, and a touch sampling rate of 360Hz. It covers 100% of the DCI-P3 colours and offers a brightness level of 1000 nits.

The HONOR Magic4 Pro also packs in the industry’s first LTPO Display with 1920Hz PWM Dimming. PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) is a technique for controlling the brightness of a display panel by varying the width of the light pulse. Simply put, you control how long the screen remains on or off. Lowering the brightness causes the screen to be off for longer than it is on, which is perceived as lower brightness.

The HONOR Magic4 Pro comes packed with a powerful set of triple cameras,

placed in the “Eye of Muse” symmetrical design. The triple camera setup includes a 50MP Wide Camera, a 50MP Ultra-Wide Camera, and a 64MP Periscope Telephoto Camera. These cameras are all powered by the Ultra-Fusion Computational Photography technology, which allows the device to produce high-definition images with excellent clarity and sharpness.

You also get an 8×8 dTOF sensor and a flicker sensor as part of the triple camera setup at the rear of the device. On the front, on the top left corner of the display, you get a 3D Depth Camera with a 3D Face Recognition feature and a 12MP Ultra Wide Camera, with a 100-degree field of view.

During our tests, the camera performed really well, under good and low light conditions. Images shot using the HONOR Magic4 Pro came out really well with a good amount of clarity, sharpness, and colours.

Ultra-wide shots, night photography, and HDR photography also came out looking brilliant.

If you are a content creator, you will be amazed at the videography capabilities of the HONOR Magic4 Pro. It offers the industry’s first 10-bit log 4K 60fps video recording capability, called HONOR Magic Log. The Log formats are commonly used to shoot professional-grade movies. This format allows you to enhance the look of your videos with cinematic colour tones in

32

HDR clarity.

Under the hood, the HONOR Magic4 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Chipset. It is also backed by the HONOR Turbo Engines which maximise the capability of the chipset, ensuring the hardware and software work seamlessly together to improve fluency, anti-aging, and power consumption. You also get 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage space.

The phone runs on the Android 12 operating system with Magic UI 6 running on top of it.

The HONOR Magic4 Pro is powered by an ultra-large 4600mAh battery featuring HONOR’s most powerful SuperCharge combination to deliver an ultra-long battery life and all-day connectivity. The stand-out feature is the phone’s outstanding triple-camera module that does a very good job, whether it shooting photos or recording videos. Every sensor on the HONOR Magic4 Pro performs really well, whether it is an ultra-wide sensor, the periscope telephoto sensor, or even the main sensor.

We consistently ended up with brilliant-looking images and outstanding videos.The HONOR Magic4 Pro undoubtedly comes with the best camera on a flagship smartphone. The HONOR Magic4 Pro thus comes across as highly recommended.

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022 //

REVIEWS

4/5 AED 9999

ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED (H5600) ASUS recently announced a slew of new laptops aimed at content creators, one of which is the new ProArt Sudiobook 16 OLED H5600. This laptop has been designed for those who demand the best of the best for jobs such as 3D rendering, 8K video editing, and even high-quality livestreaming. What makes this laptop special is that it comes with the ASUS Dial design and a touchpad that can support a stylus.

In addition, the ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED also comes with three physical buttons, allowing 3D creators to move and select or rotate 3D objects conveniently, even without using a mouse or a sketch pad. The Studiobook’s keyboard also adds a shortcut key and a Windows key which can be set to perform a wide range of functions through the ProArt Creator Hub. Let’s talk about the ASUS Dial. You can press and hold the ASUS Dial to turn on the ProArt Creator Hub menu of tools and rotate it to adjust settings, making it easier and faster for you to create content while customising your workflow. The ASUS Dial works with popular professional-grade software such as Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Lightroom Classic, and After Effects. When you press the

ASUS Dial, it displays the ASUS Dial menu suited to the related Adobe app, allowing for easy adjustment of commonly used functions such as zoom, brightness, and contrast via rotating dials.

Under the hood, the ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED runs on AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900HX processor. You also get up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM. The processing power is coupled with 16GB of DDR4 memory and 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 Performance SSD storage. There’s also a 16-inch OLED display that offers an aspect ratio of 16:10 and a resolution of 3840-by-2400 pixels.

In terms of I/O ports, you get lots of options. This includes two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, with both supporting data transfer, 100 W PD charging, and DisplayPort.

You also get two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, one HDMI 2.1 (supporting up to 8k 120 Hz or 10k 60 Hz), one SD Express 7.0 card reader that supports data transfers speeds of up to 985 Mbps, one 3.5 mm combo audio jack, and one Gigabit RJ45 LAN port.

The ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED also offers a wide range of security features. This includes the implementation

33

of TPM 2.0, the inclusion of a Power key with a fingerprint sensor, and a Kensington lock to help prevent physical theft of the laptop.

Overall performance was very good. In terms of benchmarks, the ProArt StudioBook 16 OLED put up a good show – it scored 6,270 and 8,171 in PCMark 10’s standard and extended runs, respectively.

In Cinebench R20’s single- and multi-core render tests, the laptop delivered scores of 671 and 5,109 respectively while POVRay’s ray tracing benchmark took only 57 seconds to complete. The Blender Benchmark reported render times of 3 minutes, 42 seconds for the BMW scene, and 8 minutes, 49 seconds for the Classroom scene.

While there are lots of brands out there, that claim to produce “creator tools”, ASUS is one of the few that has actually delivered a laptop with features, such as the ASUS Dial and the ProArt Creator Hub, which will definitely appeal to content creators. The ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED (H5600) is not a laptop for everyone. However, if you are a content creator, it is the best AED 9,999 you will spend today, on a creator laptop.

REVIEWS //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

4/5 AED 1699

Linksys Atlas Pro 6 Dual-Band Mesh WiFi 6 System (3-Pack) Linksys is a brand that has been known for top-notch networking products for years.

The company was also the innovator of the mesh Wi-Fi system in early 2017. We have been using the Linksys Atlas Pro 6 for a couple of weeks now, and we are impressed by the overall performance.

Each of the Atlas Pro nodes comes packed with a 2.4GHz radio rated at 600Mbits/ sec and a 5GHz radio, which is capable of sending and transmitting data at up to 5.4Gbps. It also uses the 160MHz channel width, which allows the maximum amount of data to be transferred at once.

The Linksys Atlas Pro 6 is powered by the company’s own Velop Intelligent Mesh system. The variant we received was a 3-pack system – and each node is a dual-band WiFi 6 router that simultaneously delivers much-needed uninterrupted bandwidth for streaming, gaming, and even video calls to more than 30 devices with coverage up to 2,700 square feet per node.

In terms of design, the nodes of the Linksys Atlas Pro 6 are a bit similar to the original Velop. The I/O ports are now at the rear of the nodes – these include three gigabit LAN ports and an “Internet” port, which can be used as a fourth LAN connector for the second and third nodes in the 3-pack variant.

That means, the 3-pack system we received can technically provide connectivity to over 90 devices and can offer coverage for an area of 4-5+ bedrooms – now, that’s huge! The Linksys Atlas Pro 6 is designed to be an affordable alternative to the Velop AX4200 Mesh System, even though the top speed it can offer 5.4Gbps, compared with the 4.2Gbps of the Velop.

There is a major difference between the two, though – while the Atlas Pro 6 uses a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 system, the Velop uses a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 system.

In order to test the performance of the Linksys Atlas Pro 6, I placed one node in the living room, one in the first bedroom, and one in the second bedroom, of our 2BHK apartment. We have a wide range of devices connected to our home network, including two NAS devices, both of which are placed in the second bedroom, which also doubles up as my home office.

Usually, the connection in the second bedroom, with our existing setup is a bit erratic and we use extenders to extend the connectivity.

To

test

out

the

34

performance,

I started copying a mix of files that included Word files, spreadsheets, videos, audios, zipped files, and so on. While the files were being copied to my laptop from the NAS, I started moving around the house to check whether there was a drop in the speed or in the connection. I am happy to report that the connectivity was very strong with no drops whatsoever. I was able to experience consistent connectivity and speeds, which is what users want today.

Our household has two NAS devices, a smart TV, four laptops, three tablets, four smartphones, a wireless doorbell and security system, a printer, a gaming console, a desktop PC, and a few IoT devices such as smart assistants, robotic vacuum cleaner, smart bulbs, a smart air fryer and so on. Considering such a setup, you would require a very stable home wireless network in order for it to endure connectivity and bandwidth requests.

The Linksys Atlas Pro 6 held its ground when it came to sheer performance. If your household has lots of devices competing with each other for connectivity and bandwidth, the Linksys Atlas Pro 6 is for you.

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022 //

REVIEWS

4/5 AED 4200

ASUS ZenWiFi Pro XT12 ASUS is one of the foremost brands when it comes to networking products such as routers. The company has created a fan following for itself by offering dependable and performance-based networking products for years. The company has jumped onto the Mesh Wi-Fi bandwagon by launching the very capable ZenWiFi Pro XT12.

This is ASUS’ whole-home mesh WiFi device that is powered by the Tri-Band WiFi 6 AX11000 wireless technology. Since the ZenWiFi Pro XT12 offers support for WiFi 6, you get up to 4X the capacity and 2X the speed of WiFi 5. This is all possible, thanks to advanced technologies such as BSS Color, uplink and downlink OFDMA, and 160 MHz MU-MIMO. A mesh WiFi is essentially beneficial if your home network provides connectivity to a wide range of networked devices, such as PCs, laptops, smartphones, NAS, and smart home devices. The variant we reviewed was a 2-pack model of the ASUS ZenWiFi Pro XT12, retailing at AED 4200, but currently available for a special price of AED 3899.

It is the first networking product on the market, featuring the latest 2.0Ghz Quad-Core CPU from Broadcom. According to ASUS, the system can provide wireless connectivity for a space of up to 6000 sq. ft.

The ZenWiFi Pro XT12 is also a 12-stream

device, with combined total data rates up to 11000 Mbps. The units offer Tri-Band connectivity, including 2.4Ghz, 5Ghz-1, and 5Ghz-2, and 2.5G multi-gig ports for highspeed direct connection from either node, optimal for NAS systems, gaming, or just about any workflow demanding the fastest connection possible. And when all the three are combined, you get 11000 Mbps, which includes 4804 Mbps each for 5Ghz and 1148 Mbps for 2Ghz. In terms of the I/O ports, the ZenWiFi Pro XT12 comes with two both 2.5G LAN ports and two 2.5G WAN ports. You also get a WPS button, a Reset button, a power button, and a power port. The ZenWiFi Pro XT12 remained really consistent and reliable even in the most demanding situations, by ensuring a smooth and seamless WiFi connection to all connected devices. Like all routers sold by ASUS, the ZenWiFi Pro XT12 runs the signature ASUSWRT software. The web interface, though not pretty, offers boatloads of customisations and advanced settings.

ASUS seems to have optimised the ZenWiFi Pro XT12 really well. It offers extremely good mesh WiFi performance. Our household has three laptops, one PC, four smartphones, two tablets, one Smart TV, and a few IoT devices. Connectivity across the board was solid and we did not encounter a connection drop at any time.

35

The ZenWiFi Pro XT12 remained really consistent and reliable even in the most demanding situations, by ensuring a smooth and seamless WiFi connection to all connected devices. Like all routers sold

by ASUS, the ZenWiFi Pro XT12 runs the signature ASUSWRT software. The web interface, though not pretty, offers boatloads of customisations and advanced settings.

You can also download the ASUS Router app to configure the mesh WiFi as your home network. The app is very easy to use and very user-friendly. I recommend just using the ASUS Router app to configure the system. Most of the key features of the mesh WiFi system can be accessed easily by just using the app.

For a price of AED 4200, the ASUS ZenWiFi Pro XT12 isn’t exactly cheap. However, for that price, you do get one of the best Mesh Wi-Fi systems money can buy. It offers a superb set of features and is filled to the brim with the latest technology including Wi-Fi 6, up to 11000Mbps combined total data rates and 12 streams, smart backhaul options, excellent VPN support, and the free AiProtection and Parental Controls.

So, if you are on the market for the best of the best in terms of Mesh WiFi system, you should definitely consider the ASUS Zen WiFi Pro XT12.

REVIEWS //

ARABIAN RESELLER - JUNE-JULY 2022

4/5

HUAWEI Watch D HUAWEI’s Watch D which features ECG and blood pressure monitoring is finally available in the UAE. The watch uses a mini pump and a built-in airbag to measure blood pressure accurately anytime and anywhere. The HUAWEI Watch D is compatible with Huawei devices as well as other Android and iOS devices.

Inside the box, you get the Watch D along with a medium-sized airbag and strap, medium and large-sized airbag clothing, an independent cover for the airbag, and the charging cradle. You also get a wrist circumference ruler, to determine the size of the watch strap to be used, the quick start guide, the wearing guide, and the warranty info.

The design of the Watch D is very good and the build quality is excellent. The watch comes with a 1.64-inch AMOLED display. It also includes a 2.5D curved glass on top of the display, while the frame has been made using aluminium alloy.

be worn comfortably. The HUAWEI Watch D weighs just 40.9-gms and comes with multiple workout modes and health monitoring functions. Now this includes heart rate monitoring, SpO2 monitoring, sleep monitoring, skin temperature detection, stress monitoring, and so on. The watch also allows you to set automatic low blood oxygen level reminders and provides intelligent monitoring of the SpO2 level.

According to HUAWEI, the accuracy of the blood pressure measurement is often affected by the tightness and the wearing position on the wrist of traditional smartwatches. So the Watch D uses a high-resolution pressure sensor, a feedback pressure control circuit, and a low-flow airway to maintain a pressure measurement error within ±3mmHg.

You also get two buttons on the edges, one of which is the Home button, while the other is the Health button. The function of the Health button has been set to invoke the blood pressure monitor, though this can be changed from the Settings menu.

For blood pressure measurement, HUAWEI uses its proprietary HUAWEI TruBP blood pressure algorithm, which is based on a cascade model and different blood pressure patterns. Due to this, the Watch D can detect abnormal posture, while measuring blood pressure. You can also set customised measurement plans, based on which the watch will send out blood pressure reminders at scheduled times, such as wakeup and bedtime.

The watch comes with a sporty strap with a clasp, which has been designed to

The ECG App, meanwhile, comes packed with a high-performance ECG sensor

36

AED 1599 module. This provides single-lead ECG measurements, real-time analysis, and sinus rhythm, to keep you informed about major heart health-related risks.

The HUAWEI Watch D also comes with over 70 workout modes such as running, cycling, skipping, elliptical machine, rowing machine, and so on. The Watch also supports intelligent recognition of six common workouts such as outdoor and indoor walking, outdoor running, indoor running, elliptical machine, and rowing machine, and accurately records the progress with the high-precision GNSS positioning chip.

The HUAWEI Watch D offers seven days of battery life. And if you do need to recharge it, you can also use the charging cradle included in the box. The overall performance of the HUAWEI Watch D is pretty good. The Watch D is also IP68 certified against dust and water, thus making it suitable to wear while swimming.

The HUAWEI Watch D can be helpful to those looking for a device that can keep them updated about their health and at the same time offer blood pressure and ECG measurements. The HUAWEI Watch D is now available at a price of AED 1599.

It also comes with 20% off on HUAWEI Care Accidental Damage Protection and complimentary GCC multi countries warranty worth AED 129.

Shop Now