Cybersecurity UAE is a ‘prime target’ for ransomware attacks The UAE is a “prime target” for ransomware attacks, the country’s Cyber Security Council has warned. Its 2024 State of the UAE Cybersecurity report says the Emirates’ rapid digital transformation has increased its vulnerability to cyberattacks, including ransomware incidents and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. “The broader Middle East region” is a target for […] April 8, 2024
Cybersecurity PIF entities invest $133m in South Korea’s AhnLab A technology subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) will set up a joint venture with South Korea’s AhnLab to develop and localise multiple cybersecurity technologies in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Information Technology Company (Site) and its subsidiary, Site Ventures, will invest more than SAR500 million ($133 million) in the venture to carry out research and […] April 4, 2024
Analysis Cybersecurity Saudi Arabia steps up battle against AI cyberattacks Twelve years after hackers brought oil production at Saudi Aramco to a halt for more than a week, Saudi Arabia is still susceptible to cyberattacks, a study had found. A survey of 8,000 private sector companies in 30 countries by Cisco AI Readiness Index revealed that the number and impact of attacks was rising and […] March 22, 2024
Cybersecurity UAE authority issues security alert for Google Chrome users The UAE Cyber Security Council has issued a high-risk alert for those using the desktop version of Google Chrome browser. Google released Google Chrome security updates last week to patch several high-risk vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to remotely execute code on affected systems or compromise sensitive data. The UAE’s council recommended updating to the […] February 26, 2024
Cybersecurity Mena cybersecurity spend grows to $3.3bn to fight AI crime Spending on cybersecurity and risk management in the Middle East and North Africa will rise 12 percent in 2024 to $3.3 billion, the research group Gartner is forecasting. The rise in spending is a reaction to the growing use of generative AI to create fake information and fake images for use in cybercrime. Shailendra Upadhyay, […] February 19, 2024
Opinion Cybersecurity Fighting cybercrime in the age of quantum computing The Middle East must learn to navigate the threats and the opportunities January 25, 2024
Tech Mena IT spend expected to reach $184bn this year IT spending in the Middle East and North Africa is projected to increase by four percent in 2024, as companies focus on upgrading software and embracing generative AI. Spending is estimated to reach $183.8 billion, a slight increase from $176.8 billion in 2023, according to US tech company Gartner. The use of generative AI will […] January 24, 2024
Opinion Logistics The Saudi e-commerce surge is transforming logistics A young, digitally savvy population is changing the way the kingdom does business January 22, 2024
Tech UAE ransomware attacks decline but payout size grows Ransomware attacks in the UAE have declined significantly but the amount of money being demanded has risen, according to the Gulf state’s Cyber Security Council chief Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti. Speaking at Intersec, the security and safety conference in Dubai, Dr Al Kuwaiti did not disclose specific numbers, but cybersecurity company Kaspersky has reported a […] January 19, 2024
Opinion Economy GCC can emerge as ‘Middle Powers’ in second Cold War Three factors will enable the GCC to benefit from the fragmentation January 9, 2024
Tech Half of UAE businesses feel at risk from data attacks More than half of UAE businesses still perceive themselves at risk from data security threats, a new report has found. The Data Risk Management 2023 UAE report by Veritas Technologies showed that in the past two years 73 percent of organisations surveyed fell victim to ransomware attacks. That is substantially higher than the global figure […] January 7, 2024
Analysis Tech Reality still beats deepfake technology … for now Technology experts are confident that artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes will not dominate or replace human talent. “It sounds tremendously fake, even when it sounds ‘real’,” Ahmad Haffar, the voice behind Dubai Metro and managing partner at Mindloop Studios, told AGBI. Deepfakes are manipulated videos, images or audio recordings created using AI. They are increasingly commonplace in […] January 7, 2024
Analysis Tech Gulf tech trends to watch in 2024 Technological breakthroughs in 2023 have transformed society and the world economy, but we must always look ahead. These are the cutting-edge discoveries and technologies that will define 2024. Quantum computing Quantum computing – using the principles of quantum mechanics to tackle problems too complex for traditional computers – is set to revolutionise industries. Global tech […] January 2, 2024
Tech Middle East hit by wave of brand impersonation scams Cybersecurity experts in the Middle East are warning of a rise in brand impersonation attacks which persuade unsuspecting consumers to part with sensitive information. International Holding Company, a global investor based in Abu Dhabi, said in a disclosure to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange last week that scammers are using the company’s name and logo […] December 18, 2023
Tech UAE cybersecurity is failing, say IT executives Inadequate technology is one of the primary causes of data breaches suffered by UAE companies, despite huge investments made by IT departments in the Gulf state to combat cyberattacks, say experts. Companies in the Mena region spent $2.8 billion on cybersecurity last year, according to US technology research and consulting firm Gartner. Yet a report […] December 8, 2023
Analysis Trade Raiven launches fund to strengthen UAE-Canada ties Raiven Capital, a venture capital company based in Toronto, has launched a new $125 million fund in Dubai with a focus on tech-based founders. The fund, set up in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), will invest in entrepreneurs developing artificial intelligence to disrupt sectors including fintech and cybersecurity. “Raiven has ambitious plans for the region […] November 23, 2023
DUBAI AIRSHOW Aviation Unmanned flights brace for take-off in Dubai Terrifying to some, exciting to others, the launch of self-flying commercial aircraft in the region would represent a new chapter for the aviation industry. Unmanned aeroplanes are in the early stages of global development. But with the industry’s biggest manufacturers Boeing and Airbus testing autonomous systems and craft, the concept is inching closer to revolutionising […] November 16, 2023
Tech Arabic speakers targeted by malicious WhatsApp hackers Arabic-speaking WhatsApp users are being targeted by unidentified hackers who are distributing spying malware through a modified version of the messaging service. The Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reported that the hackers had launched more than 340,000 attacks in October alone. Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Egypt and Turkey experienced the highest attack rates. The malware has […] November 8, 2023
Tech AI education takes centre stage in the UAE Just over three-quarters of UAE students aged between 12 to 15 believe that artificial intelligence skills are critical in finding a job after finishing education. Some 77 percent of those surveyed by Abu Dhabi’s Mohamed Bin Zayed University (MBZUAI) of Artificial Intelligence said AI aptitude and literacy were critical for their generation. To harness the […] November 6, 2023
Video length: 03:47 Tech IT opportunities in UAE to leap 80% thanks to AI uptake Job opportunities in the UAE’s information technology sector will rise 80 percent as IT leaders plan to augment their teams in the next 12 months, according to a survey. The driving force behind this surge in demand for IT professionals is the advance of technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI and machine learning, […] November 2, 2023
Tech AI Safety Summit: Sunak’s push for UK’s global role British prime minister Rishi Sunak’s promise to plan the AI Safety Summit 2023 in less than six months was more than simply an effort to establish the UK as a pioneer in a rapidly developing area. Sunak envisions the UK as a global leader in AI safety, aiming to secure a significant role in the […] November 1, 2023
Tech Emirates companies turn to AI in pursuit of cybersecurity More than 90 percent of UAE organisations plan to increase investment in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to strengthen their cybersecurity strategies, according to a study conducted by a UK-based market research consultant Censuswide and commissioned by Palo Alto Networks. UAE companies can make use of AI in their cybersecurity strategies by using it to analyse […] October 27, 2023
