The 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June and heightened tension between India and Pakistan triggered "unprecedented" distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks in the first half of this year, a report has found.
A DDoS attack is a cyber attack in which actors and groups use co-ordination and several computers to overwhelm a network server with internet traffic, which then prevents users from accessing websites.
"The India-Pakistan conflict saw 'hacktivist' groups target the Indian government and financial sectors in May, while the Iran-Israel conflict generated more than 15,000 attacks against Iran and 279 against Israel in June," cyber protection solutions provider NetScout Systems said in its report.
"DDoS attacks have evolved into precision-guided weapons of geopolitical influence capable of destabilising critical infrastructure."
The cyber protection firm said it had monitored more than eight million DDoS attacks in the first half of the year.
Throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, NetScout said it had observed more than 3.2 million DDoS attacks.
In the Gulf region, Saudi Arabia received the highest frequency of attempted attacks, with 270,179 recorded. The UAE was subjected to 3,477 attempted attacks, but had the longest DDoS attack duration, averaging 27 minutes.
NetScout said increasingly sophisticated botnet-driven attacks, which usually involve the hijacking of someone else's computer to execute a DDoS attack, are also on the rise.
Some botnet attacks, however, also involve people using their own computers along with other users to co-ordinate attacks.
Besides potentially preventing access to various digital infrastructure and citizen services, DDoS strikes can also be costly for businesses.
"Organisations must recognise that traditional defences are no longer sufficient,” said Richard Hummel, director of threat intelligence at NetScout. Cyber protection tools that deliver "intelligence-driven and proven DDoS defences" are paramount, he added.
NetScout said cyber criminals are starting to use artificial intelligence tools to simplify their workflow and increase the likelihood of DDoS attacks being successful with significantly less effort.
An earlier NetScout report indicated AI being used in DDoS attacks as a way of bypassing Captcha tools designed to block potentially nefarious automated activity or attacks.
Mr Hummel said the "integration of AI assistants and the use of large language models (LLMs)" was proving to be a force to be reckoned with from a cybersecurity standpoint.
AI, combined with nation-state attempts to weaponise DDoS attacks and "persistent hacktivist campaigns", are creating an unprecedented risk, NetScout said.
Four reasons global stock markets are falling right now
There are many factors worrying investors right now and triggering a rush out of stock markets. Here are four of the biggest:
1. Rising US interest rates
The US Federal Reserve has increased interest rates three times this year in a bid to prevent its buoyant economy from overheating. They now stand at between 2 and 2.25 per cent and markets are pencilling in three more rises next year.
Kim Catechis, manager of the Legg Mason Martin Currie Global Emerging Markets Fund, says US inflation is rising and the Fed will continue to raise rates in 2019. “With inflationary pressures growing, an increasing number of corporates are guiding profitability expectations downwards for 2018 and 2019, citing the negative impact of rising costs.”
At the same time as rates are rising, central bankers in the US and Europe have been ending quantitative easing, bringing the era of cheap money to an end.
2. Stronger dollar
High US rates have driven up the value of the dollar and bond yields, and this is putting pressure on emerging market countries that took advantage of low interest rates to run up trillions in dollar-denominated debt. They have also suffered capital outflows as international investors have switched to the US, driving markets lower. Omar Negyal, portfolio manager of the JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Income Trust, says this looks like a buying opportunity. “Despite short-term volatility we remain positive about long-term prospects and profitability for emerging markets.”
3. Global trade war
Ritu Vohora, investment director at fund manager M&G, says markets fear that US President Donald Trump’s spat with China will escalate into a full-blown global trade war, with both sides suffering. “The US economy is robust enough to absorb higher input costs now, but this may not be the case as tariffs escalate. However, with a host of factors hitting investor sentiment, this is becoming a stock picker’s market.”
4. Eurozone uncertainty
Europe faces two challenges right now in the shape of Brexit and the new populist government in eurozone member Italy.
Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, which has offices in Dubai, says the stand-off between between Rome and Brussels threatens to become much more serious. "As with Brexit, neither side appears willing to step back from the edge, threatening more trouble down the line.”
The European economy may also be slowing, Mr Beauchamp warns. “A four-year low in eurozone manufacturing confidence highlights the fact that producers see a bumpy road ahead, with US-EU trade talks remaining a major question-mark for exporters.”
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Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
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First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
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Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
