Strengthening Resilience: Navigating the Cybersecurity Landscape

December 22, 2023 at 12:07PM Businesses worldwide face a surge in cyber threats, with ransomware attacks increasing by over 1,000% since 2019. Aon’s global survey identifies cyberattacks as the top risk for organizations, leading to a shift in cybersecurity investment in the Middle East. Organizations must prioritize a holistic, proactive approach to cyber resilience, including … Read more

UAE to Chair World Bank’s Cloud Computing Working Group

December 15, 2023 at 11:19AM The UAE has been appointed as the chair of the World Bank’s Cloud Computing Working Group, acknowledging its cybersecurity support for entities moving to cloud systems. Despite the projected growth of the Middle East public cloud market, cybersecurity threats remain a concern. Dr. Bushra AlBlooshi highlights the UAE’s leading role … Read more

Russian Espionage Group Hammers Zero-Click Microsoft Outlook Bug

December 8, 2023 at 01:52PM The espionage group Fighting Ursa, also known as Forest Blizzard or Fancy Bear, has been targeting government agencies in NATO countries, the UAE, and Jordan. They are using a zero-click vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook to compromise systems. This APT has targeted at least 30 organizations and continues to pose a … Read more

Qatar & Rwanda Partner to Boost Cybersecurity in Africa

November 15, 2023 at 11:18AM Rwanda and Qatar have partnered to collaborate on cybersecurity strategies, including improving public key infrastructure and supporting AI research. The collaboration aims to enhance information and communication technology in Africa and promote innovation locally and internationally. Plans include exchanging policies and strategies, sharing experiences in digital transformation and e-commerce, and … Read more

Molerats Group Wields Custom Cybertool to Steal Secrets in the Middle East

November 14, 2023 at 09:57AM The pro-Palestinian cyber espionage group, TA402, has developed a new tool called IronWind to target government agencies in the Middle East and North Africa. Despite the conflict in the region, TA402 continues to operate and has shown sophistication in its tactics. The group uses geofencing to limit attacks and has … Read more

Q&A: Generative AI Comes to the Middle East, Driving Security Changes

November 13, 2023 at 02:20PM Generative AI (GenAI) is gaining popularity in the Middle East, especially with the release of the Arabic large language model Jais and OpenAI’s partnership with the Abu Dhabi government. At the upcoming Black Hat Middle East conference, Srijith Nair, CISO of Careem, will lead a panel discussion on GenAI’s impact … Read more

Middle East’s 5G Acceleration May Pose Serious Security Issues

November 6, 2023 at 01:01PM In late 2023, the Middle East is projected to have around 50 million 5G connections, with 20 million in the Gulf Cooperation Council states. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed rollouts, but countries like UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia have launched 5G networks and promoted mobile packages. However, security concerns arise due … Read more

Iranian Cyber Spies Use ‘LionTail’ Malware in Latest Attacks

November 1, 2023 at 10:23AM Researchers at Check Point warn that an Iranian espionage group known as Scarred Manticore has been using a new malware framework called LionTail in recent cyberattacks. The group, linked to the OilRig threat actor, has been active since 2019 and targets high-profile organizations in the Middle East. LionTail allows attackers … Read more

Iranian Cyber Espionage Group Targets Financial and Government Sectors in Middle East

November 1, 2023 at 07:48AM A cyber espionage campaign has been targeting financial, government, military, and telecommunications sectors in the Middle East for at least a year. The threat actor, known as Scarred Manticore, is affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security. The campaign shows overlaps with other Iranian groups and uses a previously … Read more

Iran-Linked ‘MuddyWater’ Spies on Mideast Gov’t for 8 Months

October 19, 2023 at 10:35AM An Iranian state-aligned APT known as MuddyWater has conducted a spying campaign on an unnamed Middle Eastern government for eight months. Symantec, which tracks the group, identified daily efforts to steal sensitive government data using custom malware tools. The campaign, which went undetected, involved accessing various computers on the network … Read more