UAE Cyber Security Council thwarts surge of AI-powered attacks on critical infrastructure

The UAE Cyber Security Council has confirmed it successfully thwarted a wave of AI-powered cyber attacks targeting the country’s critical national infrastructure, warning of a sharp escalation in both sophistication and intent.

According to officials, the attempted breaches included ransomware deployments, network infiltration operations, and large-scale phishing campaigns aimed at key national platforms. Some of the attacks are believed to be state-linked, reflecting the growing complexity of the global cyber threat environment.

Authorities revealed that the UAE faces up to 200,000 breach attempts daily, underscoring the scale of persistent digital threats confronting government entities and strategic sectors. Cybersecurity, they emphasized, is now firmly positioned as a frontline national security priority.

The Council highlighted that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence are being exploited by malicious actors to automate attacks, enhance social engineering tactics, and evade traditional detection systems. This evolution has significantly raised the stakes for national cyber resilience.

Officials also pointed to rising geopolitical tensions, coordinated disinformation campaigns, and hacktivism as key factors amplifying digital risks across the region. As cyber warfare tactics become more advanced and accessible, the need for adaptive, AI-driven defensive frameworks has become increasingly urgent.

The UAE continues to invest heavily in strengthening its cyber infrastructure, enhancing threat intelligence capabilities, and fostering public-private partnerships to safeguard national systems in an increasingly volatile digital landscape.