Page 49 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Saudi Arabia to See Increased Focus on Cloud and Security as COVID-19

Realities Set In

More than 25% of enterprises in Saudi Arabia have plans in place poses a significant threat to the organization – operationally,
to deploy a mix of on-premises/dedicated private clouds, multiple financially, and reputationally. "IDC believes the fallout from the
public clouds, and legacy platforms to meet their infrastructure COVID-19 outbreak will expose new security loopholes that cyber
needs. That's according to the latest findings revealed by IDC's miscreants will exploit," says Naqshbandi. "As a result, data
annual Saudi Arabia CIO Survey, which also found that the three breaches are expected to become more widespread, exacerbated
main obstacles to cloud rollouts in the Kingdom are insufficient by the notoriously unsecure habits of remote workers. As such,
migration capabilities, multi-cloud management challenges, and enterprises need to be prepared to respond to any cyberattack,
security concerns. The use of legacy applications and infrastructure, data breach, or privacy violation that may arise as they grapple
a lack of skills, and difficulties finding the right partners were also with these new market realities, particularly as the criticality of
identified as key issues. "As the reliance on multiple workloads ensuring digital trust continues to rise."
hits a new high, accelerated by the global COVID-19 outbreak, IDC
expects to see more and more organizations across the Kingdom
embracing multi-cloud," says Hamza Naqshbandi, IDC's country
manager for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. "Uncertain market realities
caused by the pandemic situation are forcing organizations
to reevaluate their Cybersecurity exposure as they pivot from a
'cloud-last' to a 'cloud-also' mindset. The most important aspect
of this paradigm shift is going to be around how to stay responsive
to customer needs, how to scale in a safe and secure manner,
and how to facilitate the transition of work from an office desk to
the home." IDC also anticipates an increase in security spending
as enforced working-from-home practices expose corporate
networks and computing devices to new levels of Cybersecurity
risk. Securing the cloud workloads used to perform work-related
tasks has become extremely important and a failure to do so

Special Internet Rates Proposal Approved in Bahrain During COVID-19

An urgent proposal to introduce special under financial pressure already and this claims that around 61,000 illegal expats
Internet rates in light of the COVID-19 is further punishment.” Parliament foreign were “more dangerous” than the legal
crisis was approved by Parliament. MPs affairs, defence and national security expat workforce when it comes to the
want the Telecommunications Regulatory committee chairman Mohammed Al Sissi spread of COVID-19. “There are 61,000
Authority (TRA) to make all telecom said mobile phones have now become illegal workers and runaways who are
providers set special rates as people integral part of communication as well more dangerous and could be positive and
continue to work from home. In another as home Internet. MP also approved a are not being reached,” said Mohammed
proposal also approved unanimously, proposal to let Tamkeen extend by two Buhamood. “There has to be a move to
MPs also want the government, through weeks its deadline for small and medium locate and deport them.” MPs also voted
the TRA, to develop a smartphone app to companies to register for financial support, on an urgent proposal and referred it to the
determine usage. It also calls for special while also expanding the beneficiaries’ Cabinet to have families waiting for three
mobile phone packages to be introduced list. Parliament also voted to have taxi decades to get homes in Nabih Saleh as
due to heavy usage. The proposal is drivers and driving instructors who own those eligible to get social housing in the
amongst eight Covid-related motions commercial registrations or receive new nearby East Sitra Town, which will see
approved unanimously and referred to the pensions, currently excluded under the work start shortly. Parliament voted on
Cabinet. “The threshold is reached within Cabinet decision to receive three-month urgent proposals to issue two statements
the first day of the month because all work, wage support, to be eligible for payments. on International Labor Day, which falls on
studies and other arrangements are done A proposal to have the government Friday, and International Press Day which
online,” said Ebrahim Al Nefaei during exempt businesses from the Commercial falls on Sunday, and deputized Parliament
Parliament’s weekly session. “Instead of Registration fees and postpone fines chairwoman Fouzia Zainal to write them
BD20, bills mount to BD80 a month and on violators for three months was also up and issue them.
if not paid then the line is disconnected. approved. MPs also voted to deport
“People, Bahrainis and expats alike, are undocumented migrant workers, based on

49 APRIL 2020