UAE cyber security chief reveals hacker demanded more than $5m in attack on private company

In a recent incident, a hacker demanded a ransom exceeding $5 million following a cyber attack on a private sector company in the UAE, according to the country's cyber security chief, Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti. Dr Al Kuwaiti informed Sky News Arabia's Sami Kasmi about the call he received from the hacker, who threatened to leak stolen data and demanded a substantial ransom.

The attacker claimed to possess information about the organization, and the stolen data had been disseminated on Telegram and the dark web. The authorities collaborated with the private sector to thwart the attack and prevent any further data leaks. This development coincides with the UAE grappling with an increasing cyber security threat, as previously reported by the UAE Cyber Security Council in August.

The council disclosed that national teams had detected and neutralized sophisticated, organized attacks targeting the aviation, energy, and education sectors, preventing potential disruptions to vital systems. Additionally, in July, the council reported attacks on financial institutions. Dr Al Kuwaiti also emphasized that the UAE faces hundreds of thousands of daily cyber attacks, increasingly utilizing artificial intelligence in conjunction with ransomware, data breaches, and other tactics.

In the panel discussion, Dr Al Kuwaiti warned that cyber threats now extend beyond system breaches to include efforts to manipulate public opinion through misinformation, rumors, and manipulated content, a phenomenon he referred to as "fifth-generation warfare." He stressed the importance of human oversight in countering false information and urged individuals to critically evaluate online content.