The UAE Cyber Security Council and CPX, a leading provider of cyber and physical security solutions and services, announced on Tuesday, February 25, the release of the “State of the UAE Cybersecurity 2025” report.
Publish dateWednesday 26 February 2025 - 23:22
According to Amac News, the report provides an analysis of the UAE’s evolving cyber threat landscape and highlights the need for advanced cybersecurity measures to respond to the increasing sophistication of cyber attacks.
The report described the situation as urgent and said the level of attacks continues to rise. According to the report, more than 223,800 assets hosted in the UAE are potentially vulnerable to cyberattacks, with half of critical vulnerabilities remaining unaddressed for more than five years.
According to the report, misconfiguration accounts for 32 percent of cyber incidents, followed by misuse and illegal activities at 19 percent. Government, finance and energy sectors are the most targeted by cyberattacks.
In 2024, automated downloads remained the most common method of initial entry for threat actors. Phishing and web server intrusions are also major concerns.
These methods have become increasingly sophisticated, incorporating artificial intelligence tools, social engineering efforts, phishing scams and the use of deepfake technology to deceive victims.
This trend is compounded by the financial consequences of data breaches, with the Middle East, including the UAE, recording the second highest data breach costs globally, reflecting the economic objectives of cyberthreat actors against the backdrop of the Gulf’s prosperity.
Cybercrime also remains a significant threat, with the number of ransomware groups operating in the UAE growing by 58%. On the other hand, in the first half of 2023 to the first half of 2024, the UAE experienced a significant decrease in distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks from 58,538 to just 2,301.
The report also provides an overview of the unique cybersecurity challenges facing the UAE, including the rise of AI-based threats, sophisticated cybercriminal tactics, and advanced persistent threats (APTs), where state actors are integrating AI into their attack frameworks.
The document emphasizes the need to strengthen the UAE’s defense capabilities and promote a culture of cybersecurity awareness across all sectors.
The report described the situation as urgent and said the level of attacks continues to rise. According to the report, more than 223,800 assets hosted in the UAE are potentially vulnerable to cyberattacks, with half of critical vulnerabilities remaining unaddressed for more than five years.
According to the report, misconfiguration accounts for 32 percent of cyber incidents, followed by misuse and illegal activities at 19 percent. Government, finance and energy sectors are the most targeted by cyberattacks.
In 2024, automated downloads remained the most common method of initial entry for threat actors. Phishing and web server intrusions are also major concerns.
These methods have become increasingly sophisticated, incorporating artificial intelligence tools, social engineering efforts, phishing scams and the use of deepfake technology to deceive victims.
This trend is compounded by the financial consequences of data breaches, with the Middle East, including the UAE, recording the second highest data breach costs globally, reflecting the economic objectives of cyberthreat actors against the backdrop of the Gulf’s prosperity.
Cybercrime also remains a significant threat, with the number of ransomware groups operating in the UAE growing by 58%. On the other hand, in the first half of 2023 to the first half of 2024, the UAE experienced a significant decrease in distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks from 58,538 to just 2,301.
The report also provides an overview of the unique cybersecurity challenges facing the UAE, including the rise of AI-based threats, sophisticated cybercriminal tactics, and advanced persistent threats (APTs), where state actors are integrating AI into their attack frameworks.
The document emphasizes the need to strengthen the UAE’s defense capabilities and promote a culture of cybersecurity awareness across all sectors.
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Source : news agency wam
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