Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
The UAE Cyber Security Council revealed that cyberattacks targeting strategic sectors in the country have reached more than 200,000 daily. These attacks originate from cyberterrorist groups across 14 countries, all of whom have been tracked, identified, and their attack sites pinpointed with precision, and effectively countered using the latest global methods in this field.
The Council explained that these cyberterrorist attacks targeted several strategic sectors, with the government sector leading at 30%, the financial and banking sector at 7%, the education sector at 7%, the technology, aviation and hospital sectors at 4% each. The remaining sectors accounted for 44% of the total cyberterrorist attacks.
The Council also pointed out that cyberterrorist attacks varied, including attacks on information technology and infrastructure, which accounted for 40% of the total attacks, followed by file-sharing attacks at 9%, and database vulnerabilities at 3%. Additionally, the persistent threat groups, known as "Blackcat" represent 51% of ransomware attacks.
The Council highlighted that national cybersecurity systems have identified the recurring types of cyberattacks. Incorrect configurations accounted for 27% of total attacks, followed by malware at 22%, scanning and login attempts at 15%, unauthorized access at 15%, phishing at 10%, illegal activities, and web attacks at 11%.
The Cyber Security Council also identified the most dangerous discovered hacking methods and threats targeting the country's key sectors, which were countered efficiently and professionally. These methods included service denial attacks targeting endpoint devices, which accounted for 39% of the total cyberterrorist attacks, followed by encryption and data leakage attacks at 37%, internet-connected application breaches at 24%, ransomware attacks at 7%, and other attacks at 11%.
The Cyber Security Council had previously announced that national cybersecurity systems had countered "ransomware" attacks targeting several strategic sectors in both the public and private sectors, aiming to leak data and lock digital systems.
The Council explained that recent and complex breach attempts had been detected, revealing the use of artificial intelligence technologies, which pose significant challenges targeting digital infrastructure. It also noted the continuous rise in cyber threats utilizing AI techniques, not only in deepfake or social engineering but also increasing in the use of AI to enhance malware, including ransomware programs.
The Council anticipates that the current year will witness continued cyberattacks, with the adoption of modern and advanced technologies by entities. These attacks will range from traditional ones, like phishing and social engineering, to newer, more complex cyberattacks using AI, which are harder to detect without more advanced techniques.
The Council emphasized the necessity for all government and private entities to comply with cybersecurity standards to avoid exposure to such malicious cyberattacks.
