Government, banks bear brunt of UAE cyber atacks

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Abu Dhabi: The banking sector was the target of 35 per cent of cyber attacks in the UAE while the remaining 65 per cent of attacks targeted the government’s e-services, telecommunication systems and educational institutions, the Ministry of Interior’s 999 Magazine reported.

The magazine revealed that most of the cyber attacks on banks were targeted at ATM and internet banking applications.

The International Institute for Management Development (IIMD) report revealed that the UAE ranked first in the region and fourth worldwide in cyber-security.

According to a research by Frost and Sullivan ((F&S), investments in security software and appliances are forecast to grow and this is an encouraging sign for the GCC. The report said that the spending on the network security market will rise at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.31 per cent for the period between 2012 to 2018.

“For the GCC-wide expenditure in this sector, the implication is an increase from currently around $340 million to nearly US$1 billion (Dh1.24 billion to Dh3.67 billion) in 2018,” the F&S report showed.

Abdullah Al Bastaki, the RTA’s chief information officer (CIO), said: “[The] Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is committed to protect information related to customers, stakeholders, employees and RTA’s business operations from all types of security breaches using the principles of confidentiality, integrity and availability.”

Al Bastaki added that the RTA secures its information assets by implementing an effective Information Security Management System, promoting awareness among all stakeholders and ensuring that all relevant federal and local governmental laws of the UAE and legal, regulatory and contractual requirements of the RTA are complied with.

A Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) team continues to monitor information technology infrastructure in the UAE, providing alerts to members and giving directions on how to mitigate attacks.

The TRA also focused on educating members of the public about cyber-security through awareness campaigns that targeted all segments of society.

Experts told Gulf News that more than 50 per cent of UAE’s 2.7 million internet users were victims of cyber crimes last year.

By Shehab Al Makahleh Staff Reporter