AGT provides turn-key solutions, tailored for every individual security problem and based on state-of-the-art technology from its partners in Europe, especially in Germany. Despite the growing interest in IT security in the region, Mr. Chbib, Managing Director of AGT, said during an interview at GITEX 2005 in Dubai: 'There is an urgent need for more security awareness in this market. Hacker intrusion, which may ruin a whole economy, still prevails.'
Many believe that it is an easy game for hackers in the Middle East to access all kinds of data networks if these networks are not protected. 'The result can be fatal if the victim is for example a bank, an electricity provider, or a governmental institution,' according to Mr. Chbib.
Virus 'Slammer' which caused a global slowdown of the Internet a couple of years ago is just one example. Political decision makers in the Middle East need to have more awareness of security technology issues. Mr. Chbib indicates that 'Arab countries allocate only 5% of their overall IT-budget to IT security. Although the Gulf States plan to increase their IT spending to US $ 165 Million by 2008, this is only a drop in the bucket compared to the € 36 million, spent by the German Federal Authority for Data Security every year.'
In addition, e-business and e-government will hardly take place without the adequate legal environment. Some elementary laws have just been released recently but are not sufficient. Customers using the Internet for daily transactions are still unprotected when it comes to cyber crimes. 'Together with our partners, AGT is interested in changing that situation in this region. Our projects thus focus on providing the clients with a clear strategy in IT-security, physical security, security solutions in the telecommunication sector and e-government tools,' affirms Mr. Chbib. AGT is well equipped to handle all security projects. It is backed by a strong infrastructure from its German headquarter.
It also has a main office in Dubai and regional branches in Manama, Riyad, Cairo, and Damascus. This helps AGT to offer full-service along the process chain which includes analyzing clients' needs, providing robust concepts, choosing the right partners, managing the implementation projects, training customers, and maintaining solutions.
AGT range of products include firewalls, biometric authentication systems, high-availability VPN's, site control devices to cryptographic techniques and ID-card systems, to mention a few. AGT has brought together some of its best partners at GITEX 2005. These partners include global players in the IT-security sector such as Clavister, VarySys Technologies, F-Secure, KOBIL Systems and GeNUA, just to name a few. This follows a road show organized by AGT and its partners about IT security solutions in Cairo, Kuwait, Teheran, Ryiad and Doha.
