SANS Institute Returns with Fourth Edition of SANS Cyber Leaders Forum to Riyadh this August

SANS Institute, the global leader in cybersecurity training and certification returns with SANS Riyadh Cyber Leaders from August 24 to 28, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya. The five day event offers intensive leadership and technical training, empowering security managers and SOC leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the ever-evolving threat landscape.

Saudi Arabia has secured its position as a global leader in cybersecurity, ranking first in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook’s 2025 cybersecurity indicator. This achievement reflects the efforts of the National Cybersecurity Authority and the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE), whose partnership has strengthened the Kingdom’s cyber resilience, supported technology localization, and encouraged international collaboration.

“Saudi Arabia’s position as a global cybersecurity leader is no coincidence, it’s the result of strategic vision and long term commitment,” said Ned Baltagi, Managing Director, Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, at SANS Institute. “At SANS, we’re proud to support this progress by bringing world-class training to Riyadh through our Cyber Leaders event, helping to develop the next generation of cybersecurity leadership in the Kingdom.” 

The SANS Riyadh training event will feature a series of specialized courses tailored for security leaders, including LDR512: Security Leadership Essentials for Managers designed to help security professionals develop strategic planning and leadership capabilities, LDR514: Security Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership™, which equips participants with the tools to build a comprehensive cybersecurity strategic plan and IT security policy, and lead teams through effective implementation and LDR551: Building and Leading Security Operations Centers™, a course that covers the end-to-end process of building and managing a SOC, with a focus on aligning operations to an organization’s risk profile and goals. The courses feature 17 hands-on labs and Cyber42 interactive leadership simulations to reinforce practical learning and are available In-Person in Riyadh or Live Online.

Additionally, SANS Institute will host the Cyber Leaders Community Night Talk on August 25, from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM, during the SANS Riyadh 2025 event. Led by expert instructor Jan D’Herdt, the session will focus on Detecting Cryptocurrency Mining in Corporate Environments, highlighting the risks of unauthorized crypto mining and its impact on enterprise networks. The session also offers a valuable opportunity for local InfoSec professionals to gain practical insights and strategies for identifying and mitigating this growing threat. You can also join this Night Talk virtually by logging in with your SANS Account.