Cybersecurity in the UAE: What CISOs must prioritize today

By Azeem Aleem , Executive Director, Cyber Resilience Services, CPX

Cybersecurity has never been more critical to national resilience than it is today. This is especially true in the context of the UAE – a nation that is at the forefront of the AI revolution. As technology evolves, the attack surface expands. AI, automation, and deepfake technology are not only helping organizations drive major breakthroughs but are also empowering cybercriminals to launch more sophisticated attacks.        

The growing cyber threat landscape

The UAE has made impressive strides in building a strong cybersecurity foundation—through national strategies, regulatory frameworks, and investments in advanced technologies. But despite these efforts, the threat landscape is growing faster than many realize, and critical gaps remain.

According to CPX 's State of the UAE Cybersecurity Report 2025, over 223,800 assets in the country are exposed to cyber risks, with half of all critical vulnerabilities left unpatched for over five years. These outdated vulnerabilities continue to serve as entry points for cybercriminals, increasing the risk of zero-day attacks.

The rise of nation-state actors

Today’s cyber threats are not opportunistic—they're strategic, persistent, and increasingly hard to detect.

Cybercriminals have evolved into highly coordinated, well-organized networks, often working through layers of proxies and intermediaries. Some of these groups are backed by nation-states, working with clear objectives: to infiltrate, disrupt, and extract value—whether financial, political, or strategic.

These adversaries don’t cast wide nets. They target with precision, often going after niche sectors or high-value environments using advanced techniques like AI-generated phishing, deepfakes, and stealthy ransomware strains. Their operations are designed to stay undetected for as long as possible, often moving laterally and patiently across systems before launching an attack.

In the UAE, this growing threat is evident. Ransomware group activity increased by 58% over the past year, signaling a sharp increase in both volume and sophistication.

Yet, amid these challenges, progress is being made. One of the most promising signs is the decline in DDoS attacks, which fell from 58,538 in early 2023 to just 2,301 in 2024. This demonstrates the impact of proactive defense strategies and government-led initiatives, showing that targeted, collective action can meaningfully reduce cyber risk.

Best practices to strengthen our defenses

Many CISOs ask me, “If you could give me one piece of advice on cybersecurity, what would it be?” The answer is always the same: Be proactive. Don’t wait for a breach to expose the gaps. Cybersecurity isn’t a one-time investment—it’s an ongoing, evolving discipline.

Too many organizations fall into the trap of paralysis-by-analysis syndrome—collecting massive volumes of threat data, drowning in reports, but struggling to act. The issue isn’t a lack of information; it’s the lack of relevant, contextual, and timely intelligence that drives decisions.

That’s where intelligence-driven security comes in. It’s about cutting through the noise and focusing on what matters most—actionable intelligence that’s specific to your environment, your risk profile, and your adversaries.

Because in cybersecurity, knowing you're at risk isn't enough. You need to know where, how, and what to do next—before it’s too late.

To proactively strengthen defenses, CISOs must embrace a multi-layered (defense-in-depth) defense strategy that includes:

• 24/7 threat detection and incident response capability: A strong security posture demands around-the-clock detection and incident response readiness. Real-time threat monitoring, triage, and coordinated response plans ensure threats are contained quickly to minimize damage and downtime.
• AI governance frameworks: With AI playing an increasing role in cyberattacks, it’s essential to develop ethical AI frameworks that ensure its secure usage.
• Cybersecurity awareness and training: It’s important to build a security-first culture and mindset within organizations. Continuous training programs ensure that individuals recognize threats like phishing emails and social engineering attacks.
• Regular security audits and compliance checks: Frequent security audits help identify and address vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them.
• Vulnerability management: Implement regular, coordinated vulnerability assessments across critical national infrastructure sectors to identify and prioritize vulnerabilities that could impact national security.
• Comprehensive asset inventory: You must know what’s in your network to be able to protect it. Maintaining a detailed asset inventory is crucial for spotting anomalies and potential security gaps.
• Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR): Many threats originate at the endpoint level. Implementing advanced EDR solutions allows organizations to detect, analyze, and mitigate threats before they cause damage.
• Threat hunter’s mindset: Think like a hacker. Rather than waiting for attackers to expose vulnerabilities, test your environment the way adversaries would. Simulate how an adversary moves laterally, probes for misconfigurations, and escalates privileges. By thinking with hunting mindset and actively challenging your own defenses, you uncover blind spots and build a culture of proactive resilience. In today’s threat landscape, the best defense is understanding the offense.

The future is secure – If we make it so.

The UAE is not just embracing the future—it’s actively shaping it. From AI and smart cities to cloud, IoT, and digital transformation, I’m thrilled to witness firsthand the incredible pace of innovation unfolding across the nation.

However, bold innovation must be matched with equally bold responsibility: To lead in cybersecurity with the same ambition and urgency. We must ensure that progress isn’t slowed by preventable threats—and that trust, resilience, and security are built into every layer of our digital future.

By prioritizing proactive defense strategies, fostering a culture of security, and aligning efforts across sectors, the UAE can continue to safeguard its digital ambitions. With sustained focus and coordinated action, we can drive this transformation forward—securely and confidently.        

If you’re a CISO or security leader navigating these challenges, GISEC GLOBAL 2025 is where your next big breakthrough could happen.

From 6–8 May 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre , GISEC GLOBAL will bring together the region’s top CISOs, cybersecurity experts, and tech innovators to tackle the most pressing security issues, from AI governance to national infrastructure protection. Don’t miss the chance to exchange insights, build alliances, and future-proof your cyber strategy. Register now and be part of the conversation shaping the UAE’s secure digital future.