CyberGate Defense
Abu Dhabi cybersecurity services firm offering managed security and MDR from UAE SOCs, plus GRC, penetration testing, incident response and training.
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CyberGate Defense L.L.C. is a cybersecurity services company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It was founded in 2016 by Mohammed Bin Bouta Al Harsousi, who serves as founder and CEO, and focuses primarily on government and critical-infrastructure customers in the UAE, with stated coverage of the GCC and Africa. CREST’s marketplace lists the company at 100-499 employees.
Managed security services are the company’s headline offering: it describes 24/7 monitoring and response delivered from security operations centres in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, alongside managed risk services, GRC consulting, incident response, digital forensics, threat intelligence and a solutions division. It holds CREST accreditation for penetration testing, vulnerability assessment and incident response, ISO 27001 certification, and a CSA STAR Level 1 self-assessment listing. In 2024 it unveiled HAARIS, which it describes as an AI-assisted security-as-a-service platform, at GISEC.
CyberGate also runs CyberGate Academy for workforce training; in 2025 it signed an MoU to become CREST’s first training partner in the UAE and announced a partnership with Acronis at GITEX Global 2025 focused on school cybersecurity, including a jointly developed MDR/XDR offering.
Innovation Matrix Assessment
Launched the HAARIS security-as-a-service platform (2024) and new MDR/XDR and training partnerships (2025), but capabilities are largely self-described.
Combines in-country SOC monitoring with CREST-accredited testing and IR, useful for UAE organisations needing local delivery and regulatory alignment.
Regional government customer base and partnerships with CREST and Acronis, but no named customers, disclosed revenue or funding, and limited presence outside the UAE.
A conventional regional MSSP and services firm; nothing indicates a new operating model.
CREST accreditation and ISO 27001 provide baseline assurance of process quality, but no public incident outcomes, named references or independent detection tests were found.
UAE sovereignty and local-SOC requirements sustain demand for in-country providers, though it competes with larger regional players.
Why CISOs Should Care
An in-country UAE option for SOC monitoring, incident response and CREST-accredited testing, with a focus on government and critical-infrastructure requirements.
What Makes It Different
Local UAE delivery from Abu Dhabi and Dubai SOCs combined with a training academy aimed at developing Emirati cybersecurity talent.
The Matrix Verdict
43/100 — EMERGING / UNRANKED
CyberGate Defense scores 26/60 (43.3%), placing it in the Emerging/Unranked tier. It is a real, accredited UAE managed security provider, but public evidence of scale, efficacy and differentiated technology is thin.
Editorial Note: Claims vs. Verified Findings
Independently verifiable: CREST accreditations and ISO 27001 (CREST marketplace), CSA STAR Level 1 listing (a self-assessment, not an audit), 2016 founding and founder (Gulf News). Vendor claims: HAARIS AI capabilities (company press release), dual SOCs and GCC/Africa reach (executive interview), MDR/XDR plans and an 'IHC company' description in an Acronis partner blog; IHC ownership was not independently confirmed. No named customers or efficacy data were found. Note: the company operates a mixed services model (MSS, GRC, testing, solutions, training), with managed security as its stated lead offering.
Sources
- CyberGate Defense website
- CSA STAR registry: Cyber Gate Defense LLC
- CREST marketplace: CyberGate Defense L.L.C
- Gulf News: Defending against cyberattacks (2018)
- CXO Insight ME: CyberGate interview at GISEC 2024
- PR Newswire: CyberGate Defense unveils HAARIS at GISEC 2024
- Acronis: partnership with CyberGate Defense at GITEX 2025
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