ABU DHABI - The UAE Cybersecurity Council has warned of rising risks linked to remote working, noting that the shift has driven an increase in attacks targeting unsecured home routers. These vulnerabilities potentially expose the data of individuals, institutions, and businesses to breaches.

The Council in remarks to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) stressed that data protection is now a critical priority, with remote-work-related cyber incidents rising by over 40% in recent years. This reflects a strategic shift by hackers toward exploiting home environments rather than hardened central systems.

The expansion of remote work has significantly increased exposure to threats, with 92% of experts believing this model heightens the risk of breaches due to a reliance on unsecured home networks and personal devices. Approximately 38% of recent attacks target infrastructure such as home routers and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to intercept communications or steal credentials.

Beyond technical damage, these incidents cause financial loss and data leaks, with ransomware remains a growing threat that disrupts productivity without guaranteeing data recovery.

To mitigate these risks, the Council recommends updating antivirus software regularly, using secure, approved VPNs, and exercising caution on video conferencing platforms. 

Ultimately, the human element remains the first line of defence; individual awareness and the immediate reporting of phishing attempts are essential to strengthening national cybersecurity and protecting sensitive digital systems.