Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, has urged people to exercise greater caution online as artificial intelligence makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish authentic information from manipulated or fabricated content.
A single malicious programme could potentially disrupt an airport, bring essential services to a standstill or cripple critical digital infrastructure, the UAE’s top cybersecurity official has warned as cyberwarfare emerges as a growing threat.
Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, said cyber threats are evolving beyond conventional cybercrime and cyberterrorism, with attackers increasingly targeting the digital systems that underpin essential services such as aviation, electricity, water and energy.
“The war in cyber, digital currencies and the virtual world is much bigger than what it is today,” he told, describing cybersecurity as an increasingly important front in modern conflicts.
He said the UAE is currently facing an average of around 600,000 cyberattacks a day, with the figure rising to about 800,000 at the peak of the war.
“It’s still a lot; why? Because there’s a war. And as long as you have a war, there are a lot of things that you try to enter and extract data and information from.”
Al Kuwaiti broadly categorised the threats facing the UAE into three areas: cybercrime, cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare.
Cybercrime covers activities such as theft, fraud, espionage, the spread of rumours and other malicious acts. Cyberterrorism, meanwhile, involves using technology and digital platforms to spread extremist ideas, undermine social cohesion and encourage radicalisation.
“Cyberterrorism is the use of technology today, social media networks, electronic games and other means available to all parts of society to spread the false idea and strike at the loyalty of the state,” he said.
While the methods used by extremist groups have evolved, he said the threat remains. He also highlighted the growing “lone wolf” model, in which individuals can be radicalised online and act independently rather than as part of an organised group.
“There will be one person, and his mind will be brainwashed. He will tell you he is the one who will make this change, even if it starts with one person,” he said.
Online risks for children
The cybersecurity chief also raised concerns about the influence of violent content on children, particularly through online games.
“All children’s games are killing games,” he said, highlighting the challenge of helping young people understand the difference between virtual experiences and real-world behaviour.
He said cybersecurity awareness could not be left solely to government agencies and specialists.
“Society is the first line of defence,” he said, stressing the need to build awareness among children, parents and communities.
Critical infrastructure under threat
Cyberwarfare, however, poses a more direct threat to the functioning of a country as attackers increasingly target the digital systems that support critical infrastructure.
“What we have seen in recent times is an attempt to strike, wipe out and destroy the digital infrastructure,” Al Kuwaiti said.
He pointed to electricity, water, aviation and energy as sectors that increasingly rely on interconnected digital systems.
“We’ve seen viruses trying to enter and destroy this sector and trying to take away the main movement in it.”
The potential impact can be significant even when the malicious programme itself appears small.
“Imagine an airport and a plane, and a little bit of virus entered and stopped this whole plane and affected the whole sector,” he said.
Al Kuwaiti described the possibility of a cyberattack affecting aircraft as one of the most serious threats facing the UAE.
‘Seeing is no longer believing’
As technology evolves, Al Kuwaiti said the UAE must remain prepared for emerging risks, from artificial intelligence and quantum technology to autonomous systems, robots and drones.
While these technologies offer significant benefits, he said the individual remains the most important line of defence.
“What does not change here is the individual. The process of the individual being aware, the process of the individual having this culture.”
He urged people to be particularly cautious about information encountered online as AI makes it harder to distinguish authentic content from material that has been manipulated or fabricated.
“Today, with modern technology, seeing is no longer believing.”
People should verify information before clicking links, opening applications or responding to messages, particularly when money or personal information is involved.
“You should always have this caution,” he said.
Al Kuwaiti also urged parents to remain engaged with their children as they spend more time online and encounter games, social media and other digital platforms.
“If you don’t talk to your child, someone else might talk to him, mislead him or deceive him.”
‘Whole nation approach’
He said the UAE’s cybersecurity strategy involves society as a whole rather than being limited to government agencies and specialists.
“We call it the whole nation approach, which is that everyone does this to be an example and a model to be followed in this society.”
This philosophy is also reflected in initiatives such as Cyber Run, which he described as a community-focused activity designed to take cybersecurity awareness beyond government offices.
The initiative brings people of different ages together through sport while promoting discussions around cybersecurity, online crime and the importance of awareness among children, families and communities.
For Al Kuwaiti, the message is ultimately about ensuring technological progress is matched by human awareness.
His advice to the public is simple: pause, verify and think twice before acting online.
“Our message today to this society is to think twice before making a decision,” he concluded.
