Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has collaborated with its subsidiary Moro Hub (Data Hub Integrated Solutions LLC) to inaugurate its Cyber Security Innovation Lab, the Waee Cybersecurity Center and Identity Intelligence Center. This is part of its efforts to build a safe, solid and reliable digital environment and support innovation in cyberspace.
The step improves the comprehensive defense against cybersecurity risks for all stakeholders and assures secure access to DEWA’s cyberspace, especially given the company’s accelerated digital transformation and broad adoption of smart technologies.
According to Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, this step comes in line with the organization’s efforts to realize the vision of its wise leadership, which calls for being fully equipped to meet both the opportunities and the challenges presented by technology, as well as to promote Dubai’s economic growth and prosperity, and to carry on DEWA’s legacy of excellence and global leadership.
Al Tayer added that they also build strong partnerships with major local and international specialized companies, to keep pace with the latest technologies for protecting smart networks and smart city infrastructure, to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world.
Additionally, DEWA is proactive in adopting the highest international standards in information security and agile governance. It strives to manage potential risks that threaten information security by following an effective corporate policy for information security.
“DEWA adopts an integrated approach for cybersecurity. This includes a complete series of proactive, preventative and predictive defense mechanisms to ensure business continuity and swift recovery from incidents and protect data security,” said Al Tayer.
Cyberspace Facility
The Cybersecurity Innovation Lab was created to facilitate and assist DEWA’s digital transformation through research, innovation, design, testing, and deployment of cybersecurity measures in its environment. The lab seeks to reduce costs and time while boosting DEWA’s return on investment in information and cyber security.
The Waee Cybersecurity Center offers a virtual environment to conduct in-depth technical training and exercises with scenarios and tools to simulate cybersecurity attacks and defense mechanisms. This environment is designed to improve employee skill sets and raise awareness through virtual experiences intended to improve national cybersecurity skills.
The Identity Intelligence Center, the first of its kind in DEWA, uses adaptive intelligence to collect identity-related data from various sources, proactively secure DEWA identities, and enable advanced Identity & Access Management controls to maximize the user experience and guarantee secure access to DEWA’s environment.
Through round-the-clock monitoring of services and technical assets, careful handling of incidents, and mitigating the effects of potential threats, DEWA established the first cyber defense center within the Dubai Government to anticipate threats and carry out any necessary preventive procedures to protect data.
Earlier this year, there were multiple projects that DEWA implemented in the UAE including UAE’s first AI-driven managed security services for operation technology; it has also implemented the SAP Audit Management System, the first best-in-class solution to be implemented by an integrated utility in the Middle East and Africa (MEA).
Moreover, DEWA’s green data center has also been inaugurated by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council. And has also signed an agreement to buy electricity from Dubai Waste Management Centre.
