How are imminent, and for some countries already real, cyber security threats being dealt with? For an answer to this question, the world is increasingly turning to Israel.
Israel’s startup spirit and impressive security expertise have made the country a world leader in the cyber security software and services sector. Just today, Israeli security experts found a flaw in China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba, which would have allowed attackers to hijack merchants’ shops, change prices, alter shipment details and shut down the shop.
In fact Israel is now the second largest exporter of cyber products and services after the United States, with over 200 companies and dozens of research and development ventures devoted to developing cyber security.
In 2013 alone, Israel had $3 billion worth in cyber security exports, a sum that accounts for five percent of the global internet security market, which totals nearly $60 billion. Lockheed Martin, even estimates that the global cyber market will be valued soon be valued at $100 billion, which is why the American defense giant recently opened an Israeli subsidiary in the southern city of Beer Sheva.