Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Tuesday, 26. November 2024 AETOSWire
The
UAE has seen a sharp rise in cyber threats in 2024, particularly
ransomware attacks, with 34 reported incidents between January and
November, up from 27 in all of 2023, according to Acronis Threat
Research Unit data. This increase reflects the nation's prominence
globally, making it a prime target for cybercriminals aiming to exploit
vulnerabilities in finance, telecommunications, government, and critical
infrastructure sectors. Additionally, as per the same report, Malware
detections have also surged by 65.3%, jumping from 16.05% in 2023 to
26.52% in 2024.
Cybercriminals are increasingly using advanced
malware and encryption techniques to attack financial institutions,
targeting banks and financial services, and seeking to extort companies
or sell stolen data on the dark web. With the cost of data breaches in
the Middle East averaging $8.7 million, financial organizations in the
UAE are under growing pressure to fortify their cybersecurity measures
to protect sensitive data and avoid significant financial and
reputational damage.
UAE’s critical infrastructure sectors,
including energy, oil, and gas, are also facing heightened risks.
Experts predict that cyberattacks on industrial control systems (ICS)
and operational technology (OT) could severely disrupt production and
lead to major financial losses. “The growing use of smart city
technologies and the expansion of IoT in the UAE are increasing the
digital attack surface,” said Ziad Nasr, General Manager of Acronis
Middle East. “As more devices and systems become interconnected,
cybercriminals have greater opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities,
potentially essential services.”
The UAE’s strategic geopolitical
position further elevates its vulnerability to cyber threats,
particularly from nation-state actors. Advanced Persistent Threats
(APTs), often targeting government and defense sectors, are expected to
intensify in 2025. These groups deploy advanced tactics, such as
spear-phishing, to breach critical systems.
Furthermore, the
UAE’s strategic geopolitical position makes it a prime target for
nation-state actors deploying Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). These
groups often target government and defence sectors, using sophisticated
tactics such as spear-phishing to infiltrate critical systems.
In
comparison to its regional peers, the UAE leads the Middle East in
reported cyber incidents. For example, Saudi Arabia recorded 11
ransomware attacks in 2024, Lebanon saw an increase from 2 to 7, Oman
from 3 to 4, and Jordan experienced a decline from 3 to 1. This
positions the UAE as the most affected in the region, facing a higher
volume and more complex cyber threats than its neighbours.
Phishing
attacks are expected to evolve in 2025, with the integration of AI and
deepfake technology enabling attackers to convincingly impersonate
executives. This will create significant risks through Business Email
Compromise (BEC) schemes and other social engineering tactics.
To
combat these rising threats, Acronis urges organizations to adopt
advanced cybersecurity solutions and strengthen their defenses. This
will be crucial for safeguarding the nation’s economic stability and
boosting its resilience against the growing tide of cyber risks.
While
the UAE may not rank among the top nations globally for cyberattack
volume, its position as a regional target is clear. The sophistication
and increasing frequency of attacks, augmented by AI, challenge the
nation's cybersecurity infrastructure. As the UAE moves toward becoming
an ‘AI nation’, it faces both new opportunities and risks, making it
essential to adopt comprehensive cybersecurity strategies and foster
greater cooperation across sectors to mitigate evolving threats.
About Acronis
Acronis
is a global cyber protection company that provides natively integrated
cybersecurity, data protection, and endpoint management for managed
service providers (MSPs), small and medium businesses (SMBs), and
enterprise IT departments. Acronis solutions are highly efficient and
designed to identify, prevent, detect, respond, remediate, and recover
from modern cyberthreats with minimal downtime, ensuring data integrity
and business continuity. Acronis offers the most comprehensive security
solution on the market for MSPs with its unique ability to meet the
needs of diverse and distributed IT environments.
A Swiss
company founded in Singapore in 2003, Acronis has 15 offices worldwide
and employees in 50+ countries. Acronis Cyber Protect is available in 26
languages in 150 countries and is used by over 20,000 service providers
to protect over 750,000 businesses. Learn more at www.acronis.com.
Permalink
https://www.aetoswire.com/en/news/2611202443181
Contacts
Melwyn Abraham
melwyn@matrixdubai.com
No comments:
Post a Comment