Dubai Electronic Security Center Unveils ‘Sarab’ Open Source Deepfake Detection Model and Major Cyber Frameworks at GISEC Global 2026
DUBAI — The Dubai Electronic Security Center has unveiled three major cybersecurity initiatives on the opening day of GISEC Global 2026, held at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, aimed at countering emerging artificial intelligence threats, upskilling specialized talent, and reinforcing digital resilience across the emirate.
Leading the announcements is Sarab, an open source artificial intelligence model engineered entirely by an Emirati technical team at the center to identify and neutralize manipulated media produced via deepfake technologies. Sarab represents the first open source deepfake detection AI model developed by a government entity in the Arab world.
The model will be released publicly across major developer platforms, enabling artificial intelligence engineers, cybersecurity practitioners, and academic researchers globally to evaluate, benchmark, and contribute code to the framework. The initiative arrives amid accelerating advancements in synthetic media generation, which continue to present severe risks to public trust, identity verification, and sovereign digital authentication.
Alongside Sarab, the center introduced the Dubai Cyber Skills Framework, which establishes a unified national reference standard mapping qualifications, professional certifications, and technical career tracks for cybersecurity professionals. Designed to bridge the gap between academic institutions, vocational training providers, and enterprise employers, the framework institutes a standardized methodology to measure and nurture technical competencies aligned with international cybersecurity benchmarks.
The center also launched the Information Security Management System Auditor Permitting Program, a specialized certification designed to qualify compliance auditors and security professionals to evaluate institutional adherence to Dubai’s information security standards using clear, harmonized criteria. The initiative prioritizes hands on audit execution and evidence evaluation to elevate the consistency and efficacy of cybersecurity audits across Dubai’s public and private sectors.
Yousef Hamad Al Shaibani, Chief Executive Officer of the Dubai Electronic Security Center, emphasized that the emirate continues to establish an advanced paradigm in digital defense anchored in anticipating shifts, building indigenous capabilities, and converting emerging technical threats into opportunities for innovation. He added that true leadership in cybersecurity requires preempting threats rather than reacting to them, noting that the new initiatives reflect Dubai’s vision of building deep tech solutions that generate regional and global impact.
The Dubai Electronic Security Center is showcasing Sarab alongside its complementary frameworks throughout GISEC Global 2026 from September 16 to 18 at its dedicated pavilion in Hall 5 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre.
