Abu Dhabi: ZENDATA Cyber Defense has announced the launch of the UAE’s first Operational Technology Security Operations Center (OT SOC), becoming the first company to provide this type of service locally, a milestone that establishes a new benchmark for industrial cybersecurity in the region.

The center delivers 24/7 monitoring and rapid incident response to protect national critical infrastructure, supported by specialized capabilities targeting cyber threats across Operational Technology environments, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT).

This launch comes as the UAE, through its Cybersecurity Council, continues to achieve significant progress in combating cyber risks and strengthening modern protection requirements for operational systems and critical infrastructure. The country’s adoption of advanced cybersecurity frameworks supports early regulatory compliance while ensuring operational continuity and safety, reinforcing sovereign data operations and providing trusted local partnerships to help organizations navigate an evolving regulatory landscape.

ZENDATA Cyber Defense was established in partnership with MBME Group, combining strong local presence with extensive operational expertise. The initiative builds on ZENDATA’s Swiss cybersecurity heritage and more than a decade of experience protecting industrial and critical environments across Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, serving a global client base.

The upcoming OT SOC leverages advanced artificial intelligence technologies to deliver rapid and precise threat detection and response, tailored to the unique demands of industrial environments where accuracy and operational safety are paramount.

By integrating intelligent analytics with specialized human expertise, the center enables early warning of advanced attacks, reduces false alerts, and prioritizes threats based on real operational impact, strengthening cyber and physical security while ensuring business continuity.

Abdelhadi Mohamed, Managing Director & Group CEO of MBME Group, said: “Artificial intelligence plays a vital supporting role in security operations when used responsibly. It enables analysts to focus on priorities by accelerating analysis, improving detection quality, and facilitating rapid response to emerging attack patterns, especially in complex OT environments.”

On her part, Isabelle Meyer, CEO of ZENDATA, added: “Operational environments were not originally designed to withstand today’s threat landscape. Protecting critical infrastructure now requires deep industrial expertise, in-country operations, and security models that place safety and system availability at their core.”

The center operates entirely within the UAE, with the ability to deploy OT security experts on-site when required. This hybrid model provides continuous asset visibility alongside direct field support, enabling precise understanding of site-specific requirements, legacy systems, and safety-critical operations, supported by real-time detection mechanisms, contextual threat intelligence, and rapid response procedures aligned with industrial realities.

As the UAE’s first OT SOC provider, ZENDATA Cyber Defense positions itself as a key partner for industrial organizations facing an increasingly complex threat landscape, where attacks on industrial control systems are rising in frequency and sophistication, often combining digital intrusions with operational and safety risks.

Through sovereign operations, OT-focused threat intelligence, and deployable expertise, ZENDATA Cyber Defense delivers a future-ready response to the growing cyber risks confronting industrial enterprises. The center is designed not only to meet regulatory requirements but also to elevate the cybersecurity maturity of critical infrastructure operators in a region where operational resilience and national security are top priorities.

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About ZENDATA Cyber Defense

ZENDATA Cyber Defense is a UAE-based cybersecurity company delivering managed security services, incident response, cyber threat intelligence, compliance and risk consulting, OT security, and cybersecurity training for multinational enterprises and SMEs across the UAE and the Middle East.

About MBME Group

MBME Group P.J.S.C is a UAE-based holding company operating a leading technology ecosystem supporting government, semi-government, and private sector entities. The Group specializes in advanced technology, digital services, product management, strategic tech investments, and an integrated fintech platform.

For more information, visit: http://www.mbmegroup.ae

About ZENDATA

ZENDATA is a Swiss cybersecurity company with global operations and over ten years of experience supporting high-risk organizations. Its expertise includes security operations centers, threat intelligence, incident response, and protection of complex industrial and OT environments.

For more information, visit: http://www.zendata.security