The UAE-headquartered cybersecurity company Paramount Assure (Paramount) launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered security investigation assistant at GISEC Global 2026 on Wednesday, as companies look to AI to help security teams respond more quickly to increasingly complex cyber threats.

The company unveiled SoCMate at Microsoft’s stand at GISEC, at Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai.

Designed for security operations centre, or SOC, teams, SoCMate allows analysts to investigate incidents using natural-language questions rather than manually navigating security data or writing complex queries.

Paramount said the system connects information across security sources, builds context around potential attacks and recommends next steps while leaving critical response decisions under human control.

The platform is currently available for Microsoft Sentinel, according to the company

What SoCMate does

Paramount’s own product documentation says SoCMate can reduce investigations into lateral movement that would typically take two to four hours, and data-exfiltration investigations lasting four to eight hours, to about eight to 10 minutes.

“SoCMate is designed around this problem. Rather than asking analysts to move manually between security platforms, it allows them to query their security environment using natural language, correlate information across multiple sources and qualify incidents faster,” said Pradeep Menon, the company’s chief AI and security officer.

“Cybersecurity teams are also dealing with a skills constraint. The 2025 ISC2 Workforce Study found that cybersecurity professionals are increasingly identifying critical skills shortages as a greater concern than headcount alone. AI can therefore play an important role in democratising security operations, reducing the dependency on highly specialised query skills while allowing experienced analysts to focus their attention on the incidents that require human judgement,” says Menon.

ISC2’s 2025 study found that 59 per cent of respondents reported critical or significant cybersecurity skills needs, up from 44 per cent a year earlier. The organisation stopped publishing an overall workforce-gap estimate in 2025, saying respondents were increasingly placing greater emphasis on specific skills shortages than on headcount alone.

Menon said security operations centres were accumulating large volumes of information without necessarily being able to turn it quickly into an accurate picture of an attack. “Security operations centres (SOCs) are sitting on enormous amounts of data, but more data does not automatically mean better security. The real challenge is connecting signals across different security platforms, understanding which ones matter and turning them into an accurate picture of what is actually happening,” he said. “Moving into the years ahead, SOCs will increasingly need to operate at machine speed while retaining human oversight. The organisations that can combine AI-driven analysis with experienced security professionals will be better positioned to detect, investigate and respond to threats as the attack window continues to shrink.”

The launch comes as AI is increasingly being used on both sides of the cybersecurity contest.

Impact of cyberattacks

IBM’s 2026 Cost of a Data Breach Report said AI-driven attacks increased 56 per cent from the previous year, while the global average cost of a data breach rose 12 per cent to a record $4.99 million. Organisations making extensive use of AI and automation in security recorded average savings of $1.93m compared with those that did not, IBM said.

The UAE is also dealing with sustained cyberattack volumes. In February, Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of the UAE Government Cybersecurity Council, told state news agency WAM that the country’s infrastructure was facing between 90,000 and more than 200,000 breach attempts each day. More recent Cybersecurity Council data cited by WAM said the national cyber operations centre monitors more than 200,000 attacks a day, with volumes rising to between 600,000 and 700,000 during periods of crisis.

Premchand Kurup, CEO of Paramount Assure, said increasing attack volumes were making cybersecurity a broader business resilience issue. “As cyber threats become more sophisticated, businesses are dealing with an expanding volume of security signals while also facing pressure to respond faster.”

Kurup said, “This is where AI needs to move from being another layer of technology to becoming a practical force multiplier for security teams. We launched SoCMate at GISEC 2026, available for Microsoft Sentinel, to help analysts move from large volumes of fragmented security data to actionable intelligence more quickly.

“Instead of requiring teams to manually navigate multiple platforms or write complex queries, analysts can run queries with SoCMate in natural language and investigate incidents across their security environment. The objective is not to replace cybersecurity expertise, but to make that expertise more effective, reduce investigation time, enabling organisations to respond to threats before they become larger business disruptions.

“For government entities and businesses in the MENA region, this shift is particularly important as cybersecurity becomes a board-level resilience issue rather than simply an IT concern. AI-powered SOC automation can help organisations make continuous monitoring and faster incident response more practical, scalable and accessible.”

According to the company, SoCMate was designed to work alongside existing SOC infrastructure rather than requiring organisations to replace their security technology. Its product documentation says analysts can use natural-language prompts to identify relevant security data, correlate historical and behavioural information and produce qualified findings with recommended actions.

Paramount Assure, founded in 1992, operates across the Middle East and provides cybersecurity services to businesses and government organisations. Its website currently lists more than 400 customers and more than 575 security experts.

Read: The end of the password? GCC cybersecurity leaders sound the alarm on identity’s new frontline

Oil prices fell on Wednesday as reports that Saudi Arabia was offering additional crude cargoes via Oman eased concerns about the scale of Middle East supply disruptions, while European diesel prices hovered near a record high.

Brent crude futures were down $1.69, or 1.55 per cent, at $107.06 a barrel by 1128 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate futures were down $2.6, or 2.46 per cent, at $103.23 a barrel.

In the previous session, oil prices settled more than $3 higher after shipping industry sources said crude loadings at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea export hub of Yanbu had been suspended and Riyadh had cancelled some cargo deliveries to European customers, deepening concerns that disruptions to a critical export route could persist for weeks.

Read more: Sri Lanka opens four offshore oil and gas blocks to investors

However, Saudi Arabia is offering more loadings of crude oil to Asian refiners via ship-to-ship transfer off Oman’s Sohar port after drone attacks damaged its oil pipeline to the Red Sea, people familiar with the matter said.

“News around Saudi Arabia exporting from the Gulf suggests concerns that the disruption could be larger are easing,” said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Visible vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz remained in the single digits at four on Tuesday, down from seven a day earlier, preliminary shipping data showed on Wednesday. That was well below the 10-day average of 18.

The waterway handled a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply before the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February.

Macquarie analysts said flows of crude, condensate and refined products through the Strait of Hormuz had remained resilient despite escalating hostilities in the region and may have risen to more than 7.5 million barrels per day since fighting resumed on August 30. They said the link between developments in the strait and oil flows had weakened.

Citi expects near-term escalation in the Middle East to continue supporting crude oil and refined fuel prices before the Strait of Hormuz eventually reopens in the fourth quarter of 2026 with support from regional diplomatic efforts, the bank said in a note.

Diesel tightness persists

European gasoil futures, a benchmark for diesel prices, rose to their highest intraday level since April on Tuesday before settling at a record high, underscoring tightness in fuel markets, although they also eased on Wednesday.

“Diesel’s strength reflects a product-specific shortage layered on top of expensive crude,” said Frank Walbaum, market analyst at Naga.com.

“Europe has lost substantial diesel and jet-fuel supply from the Middle East, while ongoing tensions in Eastern Europe have disrupted output at several major Russian refineries and prompted Moscow to restrict fuel exports.”

Last week, the US national average price of diesel surpassed $6 a gallon for the first time ever.

The Russian government has decided to extend restrictions on diesel exports for fuel producers until the end of October, Vedomosti daily reported late on Tuesday, citing two unidentified sources.

“I would expect, unless there is a peace deal or an improvement in the situation in Russia, that diesel prices stay supported,” UBS’ Staunovo said.

US Inventories weigh

US crude oil, gasoline and distillate inventories all rose last week, market sources said on Tuesday, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute.

Crude inventories rose by 7.1 million barrels in the week ended September 11, the sources said, citing API data. That compared with analysts’ expectations for a draw of about 1.6 million barrels, according to a Reuters poll.

Dubai has approved the implementation of the New Fourth Corridor, an 80km road project designed to strengthen the emirate’s transport network and improve connectivity between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, said he approved the project in line with the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to increase investment in infrastructure.

The new corridor will extend approximately 80km from Al Faya Road in Abu Dhabi to Al Shanouf Road in Sharjah and will feature 12 lanes in both directions. According to details shared by Sheikh Hamdan, the project will include 72 bridges and 17 tunnels.

Once completed, the corridor is expected to reduce journey times by up to 60 per cent and have capacity for 24,000 vehicles per hour in both directions. It is expected to serve more than 3.1 million people.

The project will also support integration with Al Maktoum International Airport and Etihad Rail, strengthening links between Dubai’s road infrastructure and the wider UAE transport network.

Fourth Corridor to be delivered in two phases

The New Fourth Corridor will be implemented in two phases. The first will extend from Al Shanouf Road in Sharjah to Dubai-Al Ain Road and is expected to cost around Dhs3.5bn.

The second phase will extend from Dubai-Al Ain Road to Al Faya Road in Abu Dhabi. No cost for the second phase was disclosed in the announcement.

“This project reflects our continued commitment to investing in infrastructure as a driver of economic growth, a foundation for enhancing quality of life, and a key pillar of Dubai’s readiness for the future,” Sheikh Hamdan said.

The project adds another major cross-emirate transport link as Dubai continues to expand road capacity and connectivity alongside the development of Al Maktoum International Airport and the UAE’s Etihad Rail network.

Qatar Airways has showcased its latest premium travel and digital innovations at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 in Dubai, while signing six new tourism partnerships aimed at boosting international travel through its Doha hub.

The airline’s pavilion highlighted technologies being introduced across different stages of the passenger journey, including its Q Search conversational platform, AI-powered Infinite Awards experience, QVerse Island in Fortnite and its expanding Starlink connectivity programme.

Visitors were also given the opportunity to experience Qsuite Next Gen, Qatar Airways’ latest Business Class product.

Qatar Airways signs six tourism MoUs

On the sidelines of ATM 2026, Qatar Airways signed new Memoranda of Understanding with Kenya Tourism Board, Jordan Tourism Board, Sri Lanka Promotions Bureau, Tourism Malaysia, Visit New Port Beach and Visit Maldives.

The agreements are intended to promote global travel through Hamad International Airport and explore tourism promotion opportunities across key leisure markets.

Starlink fleet passes 150 aircraft

Qatar Airways also highlighted the expansion of its Starlink programme, with up to 340 Starlink-enabled flights now operating each day.

More than 150 widebody aircraft have been equipped with the service, giving passengers access to high-speed inflight Wi-Fi.

Since Qatar Airways introduced Starlink connectivity in October 2024, more than 25 million passengers have connected to the service across over 96,000 flights.

Qsuite Next Gen showcased in Dubai

The airline presented Qsuite Next Gen, which includes 4K OLED manoeuvrable inflight entertainment screens and configurations designed to provide greater privacy and flexibility.

Its Quad Suite can accommodate up to four passengers, while the Companion Suite is designed for two.

The product also includes adjustable privacy controls, digitally controlled personal dividers and a dedicated “Make My Bed” button for Qatar Airways’ turn-down service.

Qatar Airways brings QVerse Island to ATM

Qatar Airways also showcased QVerse Island, its first digital destination within Fortnite, which was launched earlier this year.

The experience reimagines Doha and Hamad International Airport in a virtual environment, with players guided by Sama, Qatar Airways’ digital cabin crew, through mission-based challenges featuring landmarks and attractions across Doha.

Two interactive stations at the airline’s ATM pavilion allow visitors to experience QVerse Island.

AI-powered Infinite Awards targets loyalty members

Qatar Airways Privilege Club highlighted Infinite Awards, an AI-powered conversational tool designed to help members plan how to collect the Avios required for future rewards.

The platform acts as a personal rewards coach, recommending activities and opportunities to earn Avios through Privilege Club’s loyalty partners.

It can also recommend destinations based on a member’s interests, lifestyle and travel aspirations through a conversational prompt.

Q Search brings conversational AI to airline website

Qatar Airways also demonstrated Q Search, its conversational solution designed to provide instant answers about the airline’s products and services.

Integrated within the Qatar Airways website ecosystem, the technology allows customers to ask questions and receive conversational responses rather than navigating through individual pages for information.

The airline said Q Search forms part of its wider adoption of AI-powered technologies aimed at making interactions with customers more intuitive across the travel journey.

Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthis towards Makkah before it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city, marking a further escalation in the conflict between the kingdom and the Iran-aligned group.

The drone was intercepted at around 6.50pm local time on Tuesday, September 15, south of Makkah, according to Maj Gen Turki Al Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen. Saudi authorities had issued security alerts in Makkah and other parts of the kingdom on Tuesday amid concerns over potential attacks.

Al Malki described the incident as the Houthis’ second attempt to target Makkah, following what the coalition said was a ballistic missile launched towards the city in July 2017. He said the security of the Two Holy Mosques, as well as pilgrims and visitors, was a “red line”, adding that the coalition would take measures to deter further attacks.

The Houthis, however, denied targeting Makkah, Reuters reported. Houthi officials rejected Saudi Arabia’s allegation and accused Riyadh of using the claim for propaganda purposes.