The UAE experiences over 200,000 cyberattacks daily, with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah being the targets of nearly 60% of these attacks.
During a presentation at Gitex Global 2025, Dr. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, the UAE government’s cybersecurity chief, revealed that Dubai accounts for 21% of the attacks, followed by Abu Dhabi (19%), Sharjah (18%), Ras Al Khaimah (12%), Fujairah (15%), Ajman (9%), and Umm Al Quwain (6%).
More than a third, 34.9%, of these cyberattacks target government entities, while 21.3% focus on financial firms, 14% on energy entities, 11.6% on insurance companies, 6.7% on healthcare enterprises, and 4.8% on IT services, among others.
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Significantly, the UAE effectively defends against these cyber threats targeting various public and private sectors.
Data indicates that the average duration of cyberattacks targeting the UAE is significantly lower than the global average. According to the UAE Cybersecurity Council, the average attack lasts 18.53 minutes, compared to 60 minutes globally.
However, the average cost of a data breach in the Middle East was significantly higher than the global average in 2024, reaching approximately $7.92 million compared to $4.88 million globally.
“Cyber threats evolve more rapidly than businesses and entities can adjust their defenses,” Al Kuwaiti stated, mentioning a private healthcare facility hit by a dangerous ransomware attack, resulting in about 8 terabytes of data being stolen.
“Technology will always evolve with us, bringing new vulnerabilities,” he noted, emphasizing that cyber threats impact the economy, national security, and society. “We consistently promote a cyber culture throughout society. Our objective is to anticipate, predict, and strategize to counter these threats,” he explained while discussing “Cyber Resilience 2030: People, Policy & AI at the Core of National Security.”
Global cyberattack losses amounted to $10.5 trillion in 2024 and are predicted to rise to $15.6 trillion by 2029.
The UAE cybersecurity leader highlighted that a cyber drill was conducted with over 133 countries to strengthen global partnerships.
“We are enhancing deterrence and collaboration in many areas. Cyber culture is a vital aspect of our lives; it must become an integral part of our DNA,” he emphasized.
