AI Diversifies Cyberattacks Beyond Phishing, UAE Cybersecurity Chief Warns

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving beyond its traditional use in phishing and email-based cyberattacks, now being leveraged for a broader and more sophisticated range of threats, according to Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council. He noted that AI is increasingly employed in operations such as data exfiltration, data wiping, and complex cyber warfare, which have become almost daily occurrences.

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We are no longer seeing AI used only for phishing and email attacks. It is now being leveraged across a broader spectrum of cyber threats, including data exfiltration, data wiping and sophisticated cyber operations that we have witnessed almost daily in recent months.

Speaking at the 3rd Government Cybersecurity Summit in Abu Dhabi, Al Kuwaiti highlighted that malicious actors are using AI to orchestrate attacks and bypass conventional security measures. The scope of these attacks has expanded significantly, moving beyond critical infrastructure to target government entities, operational technology systems, businesses, supply chains, and individuals as digital ecosystems become more interconnected.

Al Kuwaiti also warned about the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes, misinformation, and disinformation campaigns. He cautioned that these tools can be exploited to sow fear, confusion, and panic within communities. Emphasizing the interconnected nature of cyber threats, he stated, "Cyber threats do not distinguish between governments, companies or individuals," underscoring the critical need for collaboration between governments, the private sector, and technology providers.

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AI is being used in cyber terrorism and cyber warfare to orchestrate attacks and overcome many of the conventional security measures we have relied on in the past.

In response to these escalating challenges, Dr. Aleksandar Valjarevic, Acting CEO of Help AG, suggested that the next phase of digital transformation requires nations to develop trusted and sovereign AI ecosystems. He observed that countries are rapidly adopting AI-first strategies across various sectors. Valjarevic stressed that for sovereign AI platforms, cybersecurity and trusted resilience must be integrated from the ground up, across every layer of the platform, ensuring security across communication networks, data centers, computing infrastructure, AI platforms, software systems, and data assets for long-term resilience.

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Cyber threats do not distinguish between governments, companies or individuals.