Ready to Elevate Your Cybersecurity Strategy?
This advanced cybersecurity training equips your team with the latest techniques to detect, prevent, and respond to evolving threats. Stay ahead of cyber risks and safeguard your organization with expert-led insights and hands-on exercises.
Register today to stay ahead of emerging cyber risks.
About the Course
This three-day intensive training program is designed for banking and financial professionals across the GCC, equipping them with practical cybersecurity skills to protect their institutions from evolving threats. Covering cybersecurity fundamentals, regulatory compliance, incident response, and ethical hacking, the course integrates hands-on simulations to ensure participants gain real-world experience.
Participants will explore regional data protection laws and central bank cybersecurity regulations, learning how to strengthen banking systems against phishing, ransomware, insider threats, and advanced persistent threats (APTs). They will also dive into threat intelligence, network security, digital forensics, and business continuity strategies tailored for financial institutions in the region.
The training is designed to meet global cybersecurity standards, making it highly relevant for professionals pursuing ISC2 – CC and SANS certifications. Participants will gain expertise that often surpasses conventional training, ensuring they are well-prepared to tackle real-world cybersecurity challenges in the banking sector.
Through interactive cybersecurity drills, penetration testing exercises, and SOC monitoring challenges, attendees will enhance their defensive and offensive security capabilities. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a Certification of Achievement, demonstrating their expertise in banking cybersecurity.
Learning Outcomes
Understanding data protection laws and financial cybersecurity regulations.
Ability to identify, analyze, and respond to cyberthreats targeting banks.
Hands-on experience with ethical hacking, network security, and incident response.
Strengthened compliance strategies aligned with regional regulatory frameworks.
Practical skills for defending banking It infrastructure, SWIFT transactions, and cloud banking.
Cybersecurity Professionals – Experts responsible for protecting organizations from cyber threats, implementing security measures, and responding to incidents.
IT Security Teams – Teams that manage an organization’s cybersecurity infrastructure, monitor threats, and ensure data protection.
Risk Management Professionals – Specialists who assess, mitigate, and manage risks related to cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and financial security.
Compliance Officers – Professionals ensuring organizations adhere to cybersecurity regulations, data protection laws, and industry standards.
Banking Executives – Decision-makers overseeing cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and regulatory compliance in financial institutions.
Who is this Course for?
Modules
Session 1: Overview of AI and its Role in Fintech
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Definition of AI, machine learning, and generative AI
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AI applications in financial services: payments, lending, insurance, wealth management
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The transformative potential of AI in fintech
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Case studies of AI in finance
Session 2: Fundamentals of AI: Key Concepts
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Introduction to data-driven decision-making
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Key AI technologies: machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision
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Overview of AI lifecycle: data collection, model building, and deployment
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Session 3: Machine Learning Fundamentals for Fintech
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Supervised vs. unsupervised learning
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Application of machine learning models in financial forecasting and risk assessment
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Understanding credit scoring models and fraud detection
Session 4: Hands-On Introduction to Machine Learning
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Basic hands-on exercises in data analysis and model training (simplified using no-code/low-code tools)
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Demo of a machine learning tool in the financial context
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Session 5: Introduction to Generative AI
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What is generative AI and its core components
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Use cases of generative AI in fintech: personalized financial services,= chatbot development, and automated content generation
Session 6: Generative AI and Chatbots in Financial Services
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Exploring AI chatbots for customer service and financial advice
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Case studies of chatbot deployment in fintech companies
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Session 7: The Role of Data in AI and Fintech
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Importance of data quality and data governance in AI applications
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Introduction to data analytics tools in fintech
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Compliance and privacy concerns related to financial data
Session 8: Data-Driven Insights for Financial Decision-Making
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Practical example: building basic financial dashboards using data analytics tools
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Real-world case study: leveraging AI for personalized financial product recommendations
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Session 9: AI for Fraud Detection in Fintech
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Machine learning algorithms for detecting fraudulent transactions
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AI-driven risk-scoring models
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Case study: AI tools used by banks and payment processors
Session 10: Implementing AI for Risk Management
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Identifying risks using predictive modeling
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AI applications for credit risk, operational risk, and liquidity risk management
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Demo: Basic predictive risk model using AI tools
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Session 11: AI in Payments
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How AI optimizes payment processing systems
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Use cases: AI-driven payment gateways and fraud prevention
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Case studies: PayPal, Stripe, and AI-driven payment solutions
Session 12: AI for Lending and Credit Scoring
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AI’s impact on peer-to-peer lending and microfinance
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Credit scoring models powered by AI
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Case studies on AI in digital lending platforms
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Session 13: Regulatory Landscape for AI in Finance
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Overview of financial regulations impacting AI adoption
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Compliance with data protection laws (e.g., GDPR, PSD2)
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Addressing algorithmic bias and fairness in AI models
Session 14: Ethical AI and Responsible Innovation in Fintech
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Importance of transparency, fairness, and accountability in AI models
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Ethical considerations in customer data usage
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Best practices for deploying ethical AI in fintech
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Session 15: Future Trends in AI for Fintech
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Trends shaping the future of AI in finance: decentralized finance (DeFi), blockchain, AI-driven asset management
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How AI and fintech will evolve in the coming years
Session 16: Capstone Project Presentation and Course Wrap-Up
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Team-based or individual capstone projects
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Presentations and feedback ○ Course review and next steps
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Agenda
Day 1 | 28 Sep, 2025
Cybersecurity Fundamentals & Threat Landscape in Banking
Module 1: Introduction to Cybersecurity
Module 2: Banking Cyber Threats & Attack Vectors
Module 3: Secure Banking Systems & Network Security
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Day 2 | 29 Sep, 2025
Regulatory Compliance and Incident Response
Module 4: Regulatory Compliance & Data Protection in the GCC
Module 5: Incident Detection, Response, & Forensics
Module 6: Ransomware & Business Continuity in Banking
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Day 3 | 30 Sep, 2025
Ethical Hacking, Penetration Testing & Security Operations
Module 7: Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing for Banks
Module 8: Security Operations & Threat Intelligence
Module 9: Final Cybersecurity Challenge
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Trainers
Steven Meyer
Co-CEO and Co-Founder of ZENDATA Cybersecurity
Steven Meyer, a certified cybersecurity and cryptography expert (CISSP, CPA) with over 15 years of experience, co-founded ZENDATA Cybersecurity to address the growing need for cyber-protection services. Steven frequently engages with the media in Switzerland and in the MENA region to spotlight cyber risks, speaks at major cybersecurity events, and has led various national cybersecurity initiatives.
Felipe Castro
CISO of ZENDATA Cybersecurity
A Senior Cybersecurity Consultant with over 20 years of experience, he has managed large-scale enterprise environments and mission-critical systems for the government and private sectors. Felipe possesses strong expertise in SOC and NSOC. As the cybersecurity consultant for the Abu Dhabi government’s cybersecurity strategy, he excels in developing and implementing robust security policies and products, ensuring resilience against emerging cyber threats.
Mark Brawinski
Mark Barwinski is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with over 20 years of experience in offensive and defensive cyber operations, crisis management, and strategic security leadership. He has held key roles at the NSA, PwC, Siemens, and UBS, driving next-generation cybersecurity strategies and enhancing security operations centers (SOCs).
At the NSA Threat Operations Center (NTOC), Mark led the development of real-time capabilities to defend against nation-state cyber threats, managing a $100M budget. He later served as Global Head of Cyber Operations at UBS, integrating AI and machine learning into cybersecurity defenses. His global expertise spans the U.S., Germany, Switzerland, Canada, the Middle East, and Latin America, where he has advised senior executives and military leaders on cyber resilience.
Mark holds a Master’s in Computer Science from the Naval Postgraduate School, a Bachelor’s from CSULB, and certifications including CISSP and CISM. An avid sailor, he has navigated some of the world’s most challenging waters, including the North Sea, Patagonia, and Cape Horn.
