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Digital trust must go beyond cybersecurity, UAE experts tell Dubai forum
Regulation is just one layer of digital trust as AI is changing the risks in the digital landscape and emerging technologies are evolving rapidly, potentially outpacing policies and standards
- PUBLISHED: Thu 3 Sept 2026, 12:48 PM
Resilience by design and shared responsibility are the foundations of trust in a digital and interconnected economy, cybersecurity leaders underscored at the third edition of FutureSec, an annual conference organised by Khaleej Times, on Thursday.
Abdulla Alsuwaidi, director of Cyber Security Planning & Performance at Dubai Electronic Security Center, also pointed out that “digital trust is multidimensional,” meaning it depends not only on cybersecurity regulations and technical systems alone, but also on trusted identities, secure transactions, accountability, transparency, human behaviour, as well as cooperation between government and the private sector, and national and international entities.
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Alsuwaidi was joined by Ali Katkhada, Group CIO at NAFFCO, and Ebrahim Al Alkeem Al Zaabi, director, National Risk & Policies Department at the UAE Office of AML & CTF (anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing). The panel discussion titled ‘Governing the Foundations of a Trusted Digital Economy’ was moderated by Claude Fachkha, associate professor at University of Dubai.
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The panelists explained ‘resilience by design’ means every organisation must learn how to continue operating through attacks and not assume that attacks can always be prevented.
Alsuwaidi underscored digital trust goes beyond regulation as it is only one layer of digital trust. He added AI is changing the risks in the digital landscape and emerging technologies are evolving rapidly, potentially outpacing policies and standards.
To address this challenge, a multi-dimensional approach is a must, Alsuwaidi added, noting it will address the interdependence of systemic risk and prevent attacks on one sector that could cascade into other sectors.
Katkhada, for his part, underscored the importance of Zero Trust cybersecurity model that assumes no user, device, or system is trustworthy by default. He added humans remain vulnerable and the weakest link in the digital system.
Katkhada also brought up the need for need for having a uniformed global standard, noting different laws and regulations in different parts of the world create challenges for businesses operating internationally.
Al Zaabi reiterated the need for shared responsibility, meaning cybersecurity must not be dichotomised or separated into organisational and individual responsibility as the two cannot be separated.
He also underscored that accountability and transparency go hand in hand as organisations need clear ownership of cybersecurity decisions and greater transparency about how systems operate and decisions are made to earn public trust.
