(MENAFN – Khaleej Times) A recent study revealed that the UAE witnessed a notable increase in malware detections from January to May 2024, with an increase of 11.7%.
According to data from cybersecurity and data protection company Acronis, email attacks worldwide are up 293 percent compared to the same period in 2023.
Titled “Acronis Cyber Threat Report H1 2024: Email Attacks Up 293%, New Ransomware Groups Emerge” by Acronis Threat Research, the report leverages over one million unique Windows endpoints across 15 major countries around the world to raise awareness of global trends in the cybersecurity industry.
The report found that the UAE’s monthly global detection rates were relatively low compared to higher-risk countries such as Germany, France and Egypt, highlighting that the cyber threat landscape, although growing, remains manageable.
In the UAE, monthly global detection rates ranged from 0.8% to 1.9% throughout the first half of 2024, compared to 6.4% to 9.9% in Germany, 3.6% to 5.5% in France, and 4.3% to 6.1% in the UK. The UAE saw a significant increase in the percentage of clients with malware detections: 17.6% of clients detected malware in January 2024, compared to 18.8% in February, 29.1% in March, and 29.3% in April and May. The sharp increase in malware detections among UAE clients reflects a worrying trend of growing cyber threats and highlights the urgent need for strengthened cybersecurity measures.
The region faces significant cybersecurity challenges, which are part of a broader trend affecting many EMEA countries, particularly in terms of increased malware detections and high-profile ransomware attacks. Compared to other EMEA countries, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) situation reflects the broader regional challenges. Bahrain had the highest malware detection rate in April 2024 at 63.2%, followed by Egypt, where 42.6% of organizations experienced detections in the same month.
“Insights from Acronis’ H1 2024 Cyber Threat Report highlight the urgent need for increased vigilance and advanced protective measures,” said Ziad Nasr, general manager, Middle East, Acronis. “The UAE has been identified as a ‘prime target’ for ransomware attacks, as warned by the country’s Cybersecurity Council. In 2023, the average cost of a data breach in the Middle East exceeded $8 million.”
“Managed service providers (MSPs) are particularly vulnerable, facing ongoing threats such as phishing, social engineering and supply chain attacks,” Nasr said. “Acronis encourages MSPs to adopt a comprehensive security strategy, including incorporating security awareness training and leveraging advanced endpoint protection solutions such as XDR and multi-factor authentication. Our report aims to support organizations and strengthen global cybersecurity resilience.”
Ziad Nasr, General Manager, Middle East, Acronis
Ransomware continues to be a major threat to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), especially in critical industries such as government and healthcare. In Q1 2024, Acronis observed 10 new ransomware groups conducting a total of 84 cyberattacks worldwide. Among the top 10 most active ransomware families detected during this period, three highly active groups – LockBit, Black Basta, and PLAY – stood out as the main actors, accounting for 35% of attacks. Ransomware detections also trended upward, increasing by 32% from Q4 2023 to Q1 2024.
The report points out how MSPs are being targeted and compromised, highlighting attack vectors such as phishing, social engineering, vulnerability exploitation, credential compromise and supply chain attacks as the most successful techniques used to penetrate MSPs’ cybersecurity defenses.
“The current cybersecurity landscape is witnessing an ever-increasing volume and complexity of cyber threats, making it paramount that MSPs take a holistic approach to protecting their customers’ data, systems, and their own digital infrastructure,” said Irina Artioli, report author and cyber protection evangelist at Acronis Threat Research Unit. “To do this effectively, we recommend MSPs adopt a comprehensive security strategy that includes mandating security awareness training and incident response plans, as well as deploying advanced endpoint protection solutions such as extended detection and response (XDR) and multi-factor authentication.”
Additionally, the report highlights emerging cybersecurity trends, highlighting the growing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) by threat groups. Specifically, it highlights the growing prevalence of AI in social engineering and automated attacks. The most common AI-generated attacks detected include malicious emails, deepfake Business Email Compromise (BEC), deepfake blackmail, KYC bypass, and script and malware generation. Furthermore, Acronis researchers identified two types of AI threats. The first is AI-generated threats, where malware is created using AI techniques but does not use AI in its operation. The second is AI-enabled malware, where AI is built into its functionality.
See also:
UAE: Hackers use AI to extort money from social media influencers, celebrities and businesses Cybersecurity firm establishes UAE base in region
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