Cybersecurity in the UAE: Risks, Opportunities, and the Road Ahead by Mike LaCorte
When I speak with business leaders in the UAE, one theme comes up repeatedly: the promise and the peril of digital transformation. On the one hand, the country has become a genuine hub for innovation, with smart cities, fintech, and AI-driven services reshaping daily life. On the other hand, this rapid progress has created an equally rapid expansion of the attack surface.
The figures make this clear. Public sector systems in the UAE face an estimated 50,000 cyberattacks every day. Around 87 per cent of businesses report experiencing at least one incident in the past two years. Ransomware attacks rose by more than 30 per cent in 2024, while phishing and email fraud continue to climb sharply. These statistics highlight not only the scale of the challenge but also the speed at which it is evolving.
The Nature of the Threat
Ransomware has become one of the most disruptive risks for organisations across the Emirates. Hospitals, banks and government agencies have all reported incidents in recent years. The Middle East as a region records some of the highest data breach costs in the world, averaging around 8.7 million US dollars per incident, almost double the global average.
Phishing remains the most common entry point for such attacks, and the growing use of artificial intelligence is making campaigns harder to detect. Criminal groups are now able to automate convincing emails, voice calls or even video messages that exploit human trust at scale.
State-backed groups also target the UAE, particularly in sectors such as government, energy and finance. These are often long-term operations focused on espionage or disruption rather than immediate financial gain. At the same time, a significant share of breaches still stem from human error or unpatched systems. Recent assessments suggest that more than 155,000 systems in the country have known vulnerabilities exposed online, with many of those weaknesses left unaddressed for several years.
National Strategy and Regulation
The UAE has invested heavily in building a robust cybersecurity framework. The creation of the federal Cybersecurity Council in 2020 provided a central structure for coordinating national defences. The country’s National Cybersecurity Strategy outlines priorities that range from strengthening critical infrastructure to developing advanced capabilities for threat intelligence.
Regulation has also advanced. The Personal Data Protection Law, introduced in 2021, is broadly aligned with international standards such as the European Union’s GDPR. This provides businesses with clear requirements and gives citizens greater confidence in how their information is handled. Cybercrime legislation has been updated to include stronger penalties and stricter obligations for protecting essential systems.
Collaboration as a Foundation
A striking feature of the UAE’s approach is the emphasis on collaboration. Cybersecurity is treated as a shared responsibility that extends across government, private industry and the public. The Cybersecurity Council regularly brings together regulators, telecom operators, banks and technology firms to share intelligence and test response scenarios.
Sector-specific exercises, such as the Central Bank’s annual cyber wargame, have strengthened resilience in areas critical to national stability. These simulations expose weaknesses, improve communication channels and build trust among institutions that might otherwise act in isolation.
Public awareness is also part of the picture. Campaigns, school programmes and community workshops aim to embed what leaders describe as digital hygiene. By encouraging everyday vigilance, the UAE is seeking to turn its large and connected population into an asset in the fight against cybercrime.
Building Skills and Capabilities
The global cybersecurity industry is facing a significant skills shortage, and the UAE is no exception. Organisations here often report difficulty finding and retaining qualified analysts, engineers and risk managers. This shortage makes it harder to maintain strong defences and can delay critical tasks such as patching vulnerabilities.
To address this, the UAE has launched a series of initiatives under its Digital Strategy 2025. These include scholarships for Emirati students, new university courses, and partnerships with global technology firms. A Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence is being established with support from the private sector and is expected to generate thousands of jobs over the coming years.
There is also a growing recognition that awareness must extend beyond specialist roles. Employees at all levels can be a point of vulnerability or a first line of defence. Regular training on issues such as phishing recognition and password hygiene is now considered an essential part of corporate governance.
Economic and Strategic Opportunities
The need for stronger defences is creating new economic opportunities. Spending on cybersecurity in the UAE is estimated to exceed one billion US dollars annually and is growing at double-digit rates. This investment is driving the development of a domestic cybersecurity industry, with start-ups, research hubs and innovation centres taking shape in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The country’s strong regulatory framework and reputation for digital resilience are also attracting international firms. Many choose the UAE as a base for their regional operations, encouraged by both the market demand for security services and the government’s support for technology ventures.
Cybersecurity is therefore not only a defensive necessity but also a driver of economic diversification. The UAE has set out a clear ambition to become a net exporter of cybersecurity talent and services in the coming decade.
Looking Ahead
No country can eliminate cyber risk entirely, but resilience is achievable. The UAE has moved quickly to strengthen its position through strategy, regulation, collaboration and investment. Challenges remain, particularly in developing skills and keeping pace with rapidly evolving threats. Yet the overall direction is positive.
As a CEO working in risk management, my perspective is one of cautious optimism. The UAE has recognised the scale of the challenge and is investing accordingly. The combination of strong governance, private sector engagement and public awareness is creating a model that other nations in the region are beginning to follow.
Cybersecurity in the UAE is not simply about preventing losses. It is about building trust in digital systems and enabling the continued growth of an innovative economy. With vigilance and sustained effort, the country has the opportunity not only to protect its digital future but to help shape the global conversation on what effective cyber resilience looks like.