Recently, InfraShield had the honor of partnering with the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) to deliver Intermediate Cyber Security Training to defenders across the United Arab Emirates’ critical infrastructure and nuclear sectors. Held in October 2025, the program brought together regulatory staff and technical professionals for two days of hands-on learning designed to strengthen national cyber resilience.
Summary
Recently, InfraShield had the honor of partnering with the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) to deliver Intermediate Cyber Security Training to defenders across the United Arab Emirates’ critical infrastructure and nuclear sectors. Held in October 2025, the program brought together regulatory staff and technical professionals for two days of hands-on learning designed to strengthen national cyber resilience.
The UAE is home to the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the first commercial nuclear power plant in the Arab world, with four units fully online, “providing roughly a quarter of the country’s electricity,” according to Global Security Review.
Furthermore, the Barakah nuclear power facility is a foundational pillar of the UAE’s net zero by 2050 strategic initiative, showcasing the nation’s regional leadership in deploying safe, reliable, and carbon-free baseload electricity that accelerates transformative decarbonization across the Middle East.
In this innovation backdrop, the training program aligned with FANR’s cybersecurity regulatory framework and international best practices, helping participants build a deeper understanding of how policy translates into real-world protection of critical digital systems.
Through interactive sessions, practical demonstrations, and scenario-based exercises, attendees explored core competencies such as network defense, vulnerability management, incident response, and oversight of cybersecurity programs within digital plant environments.
George Simonds, InfraShield director of Middle East North Africa (MENA) services and the lead instructor for this training program, said, “our goal in this program was to bridge theory with operational reality. Nuclear facilities demand a cybersecurity posture that is both proactive and technically disciplined, and the UAE continues to demonstrate leadership in building that capability.”
“By equipping practitioners with hands-on skills tailored to digital plant environments, we’re helping ensure that cyber defenses are as resilient and future-ready as the energy systems they protect,” Simonds added.
InfraShield director of nuclear security and compliance Mario Fernandez said, “InfraShield is proud to partner with FANR to strengthen their cybersecurity oversight program. This collaboration is a vital step in advancing the UAE's national resilience, ensuring that regulatory vigilance keeps pace with the rapidly evolving cyber-physical threats facing critical national assets.”
InfraShield experts contributed to various exercises focused on threat detection, OT-centric investigative techniques, and recovery operations—reinforcing the essential skills needed to evaluate and safeguard complex industrial systems.
InfraShield’s longstanding experience securing nuclear facilities worldwide positioned the company as a natural partner for FANR. With over a decade of specialized engagement across operational technologies, regulatory frameworks, and nuclear-grade cybersecurity, InfraShield stands ready to deliver training and advisory support that is both technically rigorous and mission-aligned.
This foundation of expertise ensures that the collaboration not only meets today’s security requirements but also strengthens the UAE’s capacity to anticipate and counter the emerging threats of tomorrow.
InfraShield is committed to supporting FANR’s mission and the UAE’s broader efforts to enhance cyber readiness across the nuclear sector. InfraShield looks forward to continued collaboration to ensure that the nation’s critical infrastructure remains secure, resilient, and prepared for emerging cyber threats.
About InfraShield
InfraShield, Inc. is a cyber-physical security firm that specializes in protecting mission-critical infrastructure across industries such as nuclear, data centers, energy, manufacturing, water, transportation, and more. The company delivers tailored, compliance-driven solutions to secure operational technology (OT), industrial control systems (ICS), and critical digital assets (CDAs).
InfraShield’s services span baseline risk assessments, architecture design, CDA and system-level assessments, regulatory inspection readiness, incident response, supply-chain integrity, operational security reviews, workforce training, and more. The firm’s nuclear practice draws on over a decade of experience and active leadership in the U.S. NRC, including authoring key cybersecurity regulations and supporting licensees through inspections and customized cybersecurity programs. To learn more, visit InfraShield.com.
