Gitex: UAE cybercrime chief warns of surge in credit card and password theft

Mohamed Al Kuwaiti said artificial intelligence can help to tackle major attacks – but people have a crucial role to play

Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of cybersecurity for the UAE government, said attacks have increased dramatically since the onset of the Covid-19 as more people switched online for work, socialising and shopping. Pawan Singh / The NationalShow less

Phishing campaigns, use of ransomware and vulnerabilities in servers are among the top cybersecurity threats in the UAE, experts said.

Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of cybersecurity for the UAE government, said attacks have increased dramatically since the onset of the Covid-19 as more people switched online for work, socialising and shopping.

At the UAE-Israel Future Digital Summit on the sidelines of Gitex in Dubai, he said the adoption of predictive technologies is the best form of protection against attacks.

Phishing attacks increased this year with the dawn of remote working

“With the digital transformation happening across all sectors in the UAE, attacks will increase, but so too will the adoption of protective measures,” he said.

“Phishing campaigns are one of the major threats we see here in the UAE, alongside the use of ransomware.

“These attacks increased this year with the dawn of the remote-working situation.”

A phishing campaign is an email scam designed to steal personal information from victims.

Cybercriminals use phishing to obtain sensitive information, such as credit card details and login credentials.

Mr Al Kuwaiti said the use of predictive analysis technologies, such as AI, is an important tool in combating online criminals.

Public awareness should also be improved so individuals are better equipped to protect themselves from attacks.

“Given the AI tech we have today, it can give us foresight if an attack will happen," he said.

"That in turn can be used as a deterrent measure to avoid such threats.

“People, technology and policies all play a role in reducing the threat of cyber attacks, but collaboration and knowledge sharing on a global scale is also necessary.”

At the same panel discussion, Yigal Unna, director general of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, said financial gain is no longer the main driver triggering cybersecurity crime.

“In the Middle East, many attacks come from outside the region,” he said.

“The challenge we now see is the new form of attack; it is not just financial but psychological.

“These kind of attacks can spread chaos and everyone is under threat, no one is immune.

"But if we work together, share knowledge and best practice, we can reduce the risks and beat the bad guys."

In May, a survey by cybersecurity company Proofpoint found 80 per cent of companies and organisations in the UAE said they had been subject to at least one cyber attack in 2019.

The survey of senior IT managers said credential theft and phishing, tactics used to gain access to financial accounts and other sensitive information, were the most common types of attack.

Gitex 2020 in pictures

The Hyundai Uber could one day make traffic jams a thing of the past. Pawan Singh / The National

The Hyundai Uber on display at the Etisalat stand on the second day of Gitex Technology Week held at Dubai World Trade Centre. Pawan Singh / The National)

The craft will be equipped to reach speeds of up to 290 kilometres per hour. Pawan Singh / The National)

Hyundai Uber on display at the Etisalat stand on the second day of GITEX Technology Week held at Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai. (Pawan Singh / The National)

The Hyundai Uber will be able to carry four passengers high above congested roads. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster during GITEX 2020 at the World Trade Centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The BMW Vision M Next on show at Gitex 2020 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Visitors at GITEX 2020 at the World Trade Centre in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A visitor plays a VR transformers game during Gitex 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The autonomous vending machine from Huawei at Gitex 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National

People take a VR flight in the Hyundai Uber during Gitex 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National

People play the Speed of Light game at the annual celebration of all things hi-tech. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The SoundShirt allows deaf people to fully immerse in a musical experience using haptic sensors. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Adran, a blue humanoid developed using advanced software, sensors, artificial skin and animatronics, speaks to visitors at Gitex 2020 in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

AI Art technology sketches a person during Gitex 2020 at the World Trade Centre. December 6th, 2020 in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National