--- eventsindex_id: EI-07087 slug: gisec-global title: GISEC Global title_alt: - GISEC - Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference canonical_url: https://eventsindex.org/events/gisec-global.html next_edition_dates: 2026-09-16 to 2026-09-18 next_edition_year: 2026 date_start: '2026-09-16' date_end: '2026-09-18' venue: "Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai, UAE" city: Dubai country: United Arab Emirates organiser: Dubai World Trade Centre organiser_url: https://gisec.ae/ b2b: true vector: sector: - cybersecurity audience: - CISO - government - technology - startup - investor format: - exhibition - conference purpose: - networking - deal-making - benchmarking geography_scope: - global season: autumn meta_description: 'GISEC Global 2026, 16-18 September at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City: the Middle East and Africa cybersecurity exhibition, 750 exhibitors, 25,000 visitors.' editorial_take: GISEC is the commercial gateway to Gulf security budgets, a state-backed exhibition where national cyber agencies, vendors and ethical hackers share one floor and where regional procurement starts. generated_by: cowork-vertical-build last_verified: 2026-07-31 schema_version: v8.0 language: en --- # GISEC Global > *The Middle East and Africa cybersecurity exhibition and conference, owned by Dubai World Trade Centre and held at Expo City, where regional government agencies, enterprise security buyers, vendors and ethical hackers meet on one floor.* --- ## Quick Facts | DATES | VENUE | ORGANISER | ATTENDANCE | |---|---|---|---| | 16–18 September 2026 | Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai | Dubai World Trade Centre | 25,000+ visitors, 750+ exhibitors (organiser figures) | ## Definition GISEC Global, the Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference, is the largest cybersecurity exhibition in the Middle East and Africa. It is owned and run by Dubai World Trade Centre, which makes it a state-backed commercial platform rather than an independent research conference. The 2026 edition runs from 16 to 18 September at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City, moving both its season and its hall: the show held a spring slot for years and previously ran in the Downtown Dubai halls. The organiser reports more than 750 exhibitors and over 25,000 visitors drawn from more than 180 countries, with national pavilions, a vendor exhibition, a multi-stage conference and a hacking arena running in parallel. ## What GISEC Global is for GISEC exists to connect regional security budgets with international supply. The Gulf states have spent heavily on national cyber capability, and GISEC is where that spending meets vendors: cloud security, identity, operational technology protection, sovereign cloud, national critical infrastructure defence. For European and North American vendors, it is the standard entry point to Gulf Cooperation Council procurement. For regional CISOs, it is a single week in which the entire supplier market is physically present. ## Who attends GISEC Global - Enterprise and government CISOs from the Gulf, wider Middle East and Africa - National cyber authorities and defence agencies - Security vendors and distributors, including large national pavilions - Ethical hackers, red teams and security researchers - Cybersecurity startups and the investors tracking them ## How the programme is structured The show splits into a large exhibition floor organised by country pavilion and technology category, a conference running several parallel stages, and dedicated zones for offensive security and for early-stage companies. The conference mixes national policy keynotes, CISO panels and vendor-led technical sessions. The startup zone runs pitch competitions with regional investors present. ## Positioning against the European circuit GISEC is a procurement show first. Its centre of gravity is the exhibition floor and the national delegations, not original security research: teams looking for offensive research disclosure go to Black Hat Europe or Black Hat MEA, and teams looking for a European regulatory conversation go to it-sa or the InCyber Forum. GISEC's distinguishing feature is government participation at scale, with regional cyber authorities present as hosts rather than as guests. ## FAQ · Identity and audience ### Is GISEC a conference or a trade exhibition? Primarily a trade exhibition with a conference attached. The exhibition floor and national pavilions carry the event; the conference programme supports it. Research disclosure is not the point. ### Why did GISEC move to September, and can the dates be trusted? The 2026 edition was first scheduled for 5 to 7 May, then moved to September, and the organiser has published more than one September slot since. Check before you book. As of 31 July 2026 the organiser's home page carries 16 to 18 September while its own venue page still shows 21 to 23 September, and Expo City's venue listing gives 16 to 18 September. The dates on this page follow the two sources that agree. This is the least stable entry in our September calendar, and anyone buying flights should reconfirm with the organiser directly. ### Which hall is it actually in? Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City, not the Downtown halls where the show used to run. The confusion is understandable: Dubai World Trade Centre both owns GISEC and operates both venues, so "hosted by Dubai World Trade Centre" describes the company, not the address. Major Dubai shows have been migrating to the expanded Expo City halls through 2026. ### Who is GISEC not designed for? - Security researchers looking for peer-reviewed or vulnerability-disclosure content - Buyers focused on European regulatory compliance such as NIS2 or the Cyber Resilience Act - Anyone wanting a small, closed-door CISO format ## The venue: Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai World Trade Centre owns the show and also operates the halls it runs in, which is unusual: the venue operator programmes the event itself rather than renting space to a third-party organiser. It runs two Dubai venues, the Downtown convention complex and the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City, and the 2026 edition sits in the second. Expo City's exhibition halls have been expanding through 2026 and have absorbed several of the emirate's largest trade shows. --- ## Editorial take *GISEC is the commercial gateway to Gulf security budgets, a state-backed exhibition where national cyber agencies, vendors and ethical hackers share one floor and where regional procurement starts.* ## How to register and what it costs Visitor registration runs through the official website. Trade visitor entry to the exhibition is typically free with advance registration, while conference delegate passes and training sessions are paid; 2026 delegate tiers are published on the registration page. Exhibitor and pavilion pricing is quoted directly by Dubai World Trade Centre. ## FAQ · Access and practicalities ### When and where does the 2026 edition take place? 16 to 18 September 2026 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai, United Arab Emirates. ### Is entry free? Trade visitor entry to the exhibition is normally free with prior registration. Conference and training passes are paid and sold separately. ### How international is the audience? The organiser reports attendance from more than 180 countries, with the core audience drawn from the Gulf states, the wider Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. ## Resources | Resource | URL | |---|---| | Official website | https://gisec.ae/ | | About the show | https://gisec.ae/about-the-show | | Agenda | https://gisec.ae/agenda | --- **Last verified:** 2026-07-31 **Next review:** 2026-08-31 **Notes:** Attendance and exhibitor counts are organiser-reported. Dates and venue were unstable at the time of writing: the edition moved from May to September, and on 31 July 2026 the organiser's home page and Expo City's venue listing both gave 16 to 18 September while the organiser's own venue page still showed 21 to 23 September. The dates and hall above follow the two agreeing sources. Reconfirm with the organiser before booking travel. **Variables:** 41/58 **Concept definition:** not applicable