Group-IB has formed a strategic partnership with the UAE Cyber Security Council to strengthen threat intelligence sharing, incident response coordination and cybersecurity skills development, with the two organisations also exploring a joint Innovation Center of Excellence in the country.
Announced during GISEC Global 2026, the partnership is designed to improve cooperation between government and the private sector as the UAE expands its digital infrastructure and seeks to identify cyber threats before they develop into active attacks.
The collaboration will combine the Cyber Security Council's national cybersecurity role with Group-IB's threat intelligence, investigation and cybercrime prevention capabilities.
Threat intelligence sharing targets emerging attacks
A central component of the partnership will be the exchange of intelligence covering cyber risks, threat actors, malicious infrastructure, malware, attack techniques and indicators of compromise.
Group-IB and the Council intend to use information about adversary behaviour and infrastructure to identify potential threats earlier and improve preparedness before attacks materialise.
The approach places greater emphasis on anticipating malicious activity rather than relying primarily on detection and response once an intrusion is already underway.
The organisations will also coordinate on incident response, although the announcement does not provide details about operational procedures, information-sharing mechanisms or the types of incidents that would trigger joint activity.
Cybersecurity training and workshops planned
Capacity building forms another part of the agreement.
Group-IB and the Cyber Security Council plan to collaborate on specialised technical training, workshops, educational materials and joint working groups for cybersecurity practitioners in the UAE.
The initiatives are intended to strengthen practical cybersecurity capabilities and contribute to the development of national talent.
No targets have been disclosed for the number of professionals to be trained, the duration of the programmes or when the first workshops will begin.
Joint cybersecurity innovation centre under consideration
The two organisations also intend to explore establishing an Innovation Center of Excellence in the UAE.
The proposed centre would provide a platform for cybersecurity innovation, knowledge exchange and capability development, combining Group-IB's international expertise and regional threat intelligence with the Council's national cybersecurity priorities.
At this stage, the centre remains under exploration. The announcement does not provide an opening date, location, investment figure, staffing plan or technical scope.
Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, said anticipating risks before they materialise is central to the country's cybersecurity strategy, adding that the collaboration is intended to strengthen intelligence sharing and practical readiness.
Group-IB CEO Dmitry Volkov said the company wants to move cybersecurity further toward what it calls a "Prediction-First" approach, using adversary intelligence, technology and AI to provide defenders with more time to respond to emerging risks.
Public-private cooperation expands around cyber intelligence
The partnership reflects the growing importance of intelligence exchange between government cybersecurity authorities and private security companies.
Modern cyber campaigns can involve rapidly changing malicious infrastructure, malware and attack techniques operating across multiple jurisdictions. Sharing intelligence about those activities can potentially help defenders recognise related infrastructure or behaviour before an attack reaches its later stages.
For the UAE, the partnership also links cybersecurity capability development with the country's broader digital economy, where increasing adoption of cloud, AI and connected services creates a larger technology environment requiring protection.
Source: MEA Tech Watch Press Reporter
