SANS Institute, the global leader in cyber security training and certifications, announced its upcoming hands-on cyber security training program in Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia during the months of March and April 2020. SANS Jeddah 2020 will be held from March 7-12, at the venue Jeddah Corniche, and SANS Riyadh 2020 will be held from April 4-16, 2020 at the Burj Rafal Hotel. Both of the weeklong immersion training events will provide delegates with the skills to defend their organizations against security breaches and prevent future attacks. "The Middle East, and specifically Saudi Arabia, finds itself in the midst of a maelstrom of unique macro-economic and geo political challenges. Over the past two years, threat activity on a local, country, and regional scale only seems to be exacerbating rather than reducing. "As Saudi-based enterprises invest into digital transformation initiatives to meet the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, there is an increasing need for skilled cyber security professionals to manage the digital threat landscape," said Ned Baltagi, managing director, Middle East & Africa at SANS Institute. According to the October 2019 report from Research and Markets, Security Market in the Middle East, Trends and Opportunities, Forecast to 2025, the Middle East security industry is going through massive digital transformation. Technology is acting as a force multiplier for nations in the Middle East to better manage internal security requirements and align with each nation's security vision. "Through our regular training programs in Jeddah and Riyadh, we are boosting the number of qualified and skilled professionals in cyber security across the country. Our real-world immersion training tactics focused on ‘on-the-job skills' help the attendees to apply their learnings from day one back at work. During our training sessions attendees can raise their own specific questions and have them answered by our world-leading experts in cyber security. They can also share experiences with their peers at the event," Baltagi added. Jeddah 2020 and SANS Riyadh 2020 events can expect to benefit by preparing for their GIAC Certification; networking with like-minded security professionals facing similar challenges; attending evening bonus sessions led by SANS instructors; gaining insights into the latest cyber security topics; extending the SANS course by four months with an OnDemand Bundle; being able to use their new skills as soon as they return to work; and meeting trainers with a wealth of real-world experience. — SG