As global digital defenses strive to counter rapidly evolving threats, the UAE’s leading cybersecurity authority has raised concerns over a significant increase in attacks on essential infrastructure.
On the second day of Gitex Global 2025, Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, the UAE Government’s Head of Cybersecurity, highlighted that cyberattacks are not only growing in frequency but are also becoming more sophisticated.
“Data assaults and services are on the rise, adding to the complexity. Over 37% of critical infrastructure is targeted annually,” he stated.
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He emphasized that weaknesses in identity and access management remain major contributors to significant breaches. “19% of data exposures or leaks may result from cloud misconfigurations,” Al Kuwaiti observed.
He further explained the severe financial repercussions. “Even a simple attack or leak can cost over $4.8 million in some instances. Globally, cyberattacks and cybercrimes are projected to incur costs exceeding $10.5 trillion by 2025.”
Despite enhanced security measures, the threat landscape continues to widen. “We encounter over 200,000 cyberattacks daily,” Al Kuwaiti disclosed.
“These attacks range from ransomware and data breaches to cybercrimes affecting our youth, including child online safety. Many attacks are directed at critical infrastructure. As we integrate more technologies, these threats increase, underscoring the importance of system readiness.”
Key Pillars of National Strategy
Al Kuwaiti elaborated on the five pillars of the UAE’s National Cybersecurity Strategy, which forms the backbone of the nation’s digital resilience.
“The first pillar is governance—ensuring seamless collaboration between technologies, people, and processes through defined frameworks and robust policies,” he explained. “Governance extends beyond technology usage to its creation and innovation.”
He cited GITEX North Star as a testament to this innovation. “GITEX North Star showcases this innovative spirit, with over 2,000 startups, many focusing on cybersecurity and AI, presenting their solutions. We also emphasize people readiness and fostering a ‘cyber culture’ for daily safety and security.”
The second pillar is innovation. “Home to over 200 nationalities, the UAE is a hub for collaboration and shared ideas,” Al Kuwaiti noted. “Innovation propels our partnerships and initiatives like CyberE71, which supports emerging startups. We are advancing agentic AI orchestrators for automated detection and response, pushing boundaries in cybersecurity tech.”
The third pillar is protection and defense. “Our mission is to ensure the UAE’s safety, both physically and digitally. We’ve developed early-warning systems like ETHRETS to monitor threats across the dark web and critical infrastructure using automation and AI for swift response,” he explained.
The fourth pillar is policy and compliance. “We have introduced comprehensive policies like the Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Policy, IoT Security Policy, and Cloud Security Policy to ensure compliance, transparency, and the safeguarding of sensitive data, including within sovereign and partially sovereign clouds.”
The fifth pillar is partnership. “Collaboration among government, private sector, and the community—our Public-Private-People Partnership—is crucial for our digital resilience,” he stated. “Achieving our goals requires collective effort. Through strong partnerships, we can cultivate a secure, thriving digital economy that defends humanity and fosters innovation.”
