{
  "id": 11509673,
  "title": "UAE faces growing cyber risks as AI transforms attacks and defence",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/uae-faces-growing-cyber-risks-as-ai-transforms-attacks-and-defence",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-02T18:51:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/uae/government/uae-faces-growing-cyber-risks-as-ai-transforms-attacks-and-defence-1.500696582"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dubai: Microsoft's 2026 Digital Defence Report sheds light on how artificial intelligence is transforming the cybersecurity landscape. With over 165 trillion security signals analyzed daily, the report highlights three key shifts defining cybersecurity in 2026. AI is accelerating both cyber attacks and defense, identity remains the primary entry point for attackers, and cyber incidents are causing far-reaching consequences beyond the immediate victim. In the UAE, the country ranks sixth globally for cyber activity impact and second among Middle Eastern nations. As AI integration expands across government services, enterprises, and critical systems, the UAE's cybersecurity approach must evolve. Microsoft, the UAE Cyber Security Council, and Core42 are collaborating to deploy Microsoft's AI-powered cybersecurity solution, MDASH, to enhance vulnerability identification, risk prioritization, and threat response across government entities. Yazan Khasawneh, Microsoft's Cyber Security Director for the UAE, emphasizes that AI should be embedded in AI adoption, identity management, data protection, and continuity planning from the outset. The report underscores that AI-driven threats are progressing rapidly and becoming more interconnected, necessitating a security approach that incorporates AI for threat detection and disruption. Despite the sophistication of threats, identity remains a crucial defense mechanism; attackers frequently exploit compromised credentials and accounts. Coordinated threat intelligence, public-private partnerships, and operational resilience are essential to mitigate the far-reaching consequences of cyber incidents across organizations, sectors, and borders.",
  "summary": "Microsoft Digital Defence Report 2026 highlights evolving cyber risks as UAE accelerates AI-powered security",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}