The head of the Cyber Security Council for the government of the UAE, Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, revealed that Iran has used artificial intelligence tools such as «ChatGPT» and others in engineering its cyberattacks during the current period against the UAE.
Al Kuwaiti also revealed in statements to «Al-Emarat Today» that the frequency of cyberattacks on the country increased after a regional escalation, with an increase in complexity and the use of artificial intelligence and deep fakes, confirming that the country faces between 500,000 and 700,000 cyber-attacks daily, while the national system monitors and proactively contains them.
In more detail, Dr. Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti confirmed that artificial intelligence has now become part of modern cyberattack tools, not just a peripheral aid, explaining that hostile entities like Iran now use it for reconnaissance, information gathering, searching for technical vulnerabilities, improving phishing messages, developing malicious viruses, and producing misleading or fabricated content to support information warfare.
He pointed out that recent attacks have included the exploitation of artificial intelligence to develop complex offensive tools, reflecting a qualitative development in the attackers' methods, noting that artificial intelligence has made attacks faster, more convincing, less costly, and more widespread.
Regarding the council's efforts to counter such attacks and protect the infrastructure and institutions of the country, Al Kuwaiti stated that the Cyber Security Council operates within a sophisticated and integrated national system based on monitoring, analysis, response, and readiness enhancement around the clock .
He reviewed some of these efforts, including adopting a zero-trust model, activating the National Cyber Security Operations Center (NSOC) and smart monitoring systems, advanced intelligence analysis, monitoring misleading content, conducting national cyber crisis simulation exercises, and sharing security alerts immediately with various entities and sectors, to ensure improved readiness and reduced response times.
He confirmed that «the country does not wait for danger to act but operates with continuous proactive readiness to protect infrastructure and national services».
Regarding preventative advice on dealing with these attacks, the head of the Cyber Security Council advised that the human element at this stage is the first line of defense, the most practical advice being: do not click on any unknown links, do not share passwords or verification codes, enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible, use strong and unique passwords, change and update default settings of devices such as surveillance cameras, follow updates exclusively from the relevant crisis and warning authorities and the Cyber Security Council, acquire information from its official sources, avoid irresponsibly circulating or publishing rumors and events, refrain from recording and publishing content that causes concern or might be exploited by hostile entities.
He also mentioned the importance of continually updating systems and apps, avoiding public and insecure Wi-Fi networks, and backing up important data.
He stressed the importance of immediately reporting any suspicious email, application, or call, and not to believe or spread any unverified videos, images, or recordings.
He emphasized that the most important message is that «in times of tension, your awareness should be faster than phishing, calmer than rumor, and more precise than the fabricated content».
In response to a question about the rate of daily cyber-attacks currently faced by the country, and whether it has increased compared to before the events of February 28, the head of the Cyber Security Council for the government of the UAE stated that the country currently faces very high levels of cyberattacks and attempts daily, revealing that in the latest data, the country faces between 500,000 and 700,000 cyber-attacks daily, depending on the nature of the measurement and context, especially in strategic sectors during periods of high pressure.
He confirmed that most of these cyber threats targeting the country are backed by states, which is an important indicator of the pressure the country is under.
As far as comparison with before February 28, indicators confirm that the rate has noticeably increased after regional escalation, with an increase in complexity and the use of artificial intelligence and deep fakes.
He added: «Yes, there is a clear and expected escalation in the rate of attacks, but the national system monitors and proactively contains them and maintains the continuity of vital services».
He confirmed that «what we face today is not merely traditional attacks but more complex threats using artificial intelligence, social engineering, and fabricated content. However, in contrast, the UAE possesses a sophisticated, vigilant, and proactive system, and the most important message to the public is: trust the official sources, do not give fraudsters a chance, and do not give rumors space».
