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The UAE Cybersecurity Council said national cyber teams detected and neutralised 750,000 cyberattack attempts, according to a report published by Emirates 24|7. Energy and education sectors ranked as the top targets in the campaigns, which also extended to aviation, the council’s assessment found. The attacks involved attempts to breach digital systems, access operational data and deploy phishing lures to gain initial entry. Swift intervention by response units ensured no critical services or infrastructure suffered interruptions. A council statement emphasised that the activity was identified at an early stage through continuous monitoring protocols.
According to the Cybersecurity Council, the thwarted efforts formed part of advanced and coordinated campaigns that sought persistent access rather than immediate disruption. The council reported that similar patterns had appeared in prior incidents, including a July campaign against financial entities that was also contained without impact. National systems operate around the clock in an integrated framework that draws on both local authorities and international partners. This layered defence approach has allowed rapid analysis and containment of threats as they emerge. The council noted that attackers increasingly incorporate artificial intelligence tools to refine their techniques.
A separate Emirates 24|7 report on council briefings placed average daily cyberattack attempts in the UAE above 600,000 as AI-driven threats intensify across the region. That volume has risen notably amid broader geopolitical tensions, with state-aligned actors focusing on strategic sectors, one analysis from the council indicated. The energy sector’s prominence as a target reflects its central role in economic stability and global supply chains. Education networks offer access to research data and linked government systems, making them attractive for espionage objectives. The council has responded by expanding threat intelligence sharing with regional and global allies.
CrowdStrike research cited in related coverage from AGBI identified Iranian-linked groups conducting spear-phishing operations against academic organisations throughout the Middle East during the same period. Such activity aligns with the education sector focus observed in the UAE incidents, the reports noted. Aviation systems were also probed for vulnerabilities that could affect passenger data or operational continuity. The council’s proactive measures prevented lateral movement from compromised corporate accounts into more sensitive operational technology. No evidence emerged that attackers reached core control systems in any of the targeted areas.
The UAE Cyber Security Council and CPX joint Cybersecurity Report 2025, released earlier in the year, found that misconfigurations accounted for 32 percent of incidents while government, finance and energy sectors remained primary targets overall. That assessment highlighted more than 223,800 exposed assets within the country, with half of critical vulnerabilities unpatched for over five years. Data breach costs in the Middle East ranked second-highest globally, the report showed. These baselines underscore the sustained pressure on critical infrastructure that the latest 750,000 blocked attempts illustrate. The council continues to refine detection capabilities in response to evolving tactics.
National cyber defence officials have urged organisations in vulnerable sectors to adopt stricter access controls and employee training programmes, a council directive stated. Partnerships with specialised international entities have accelerated both recovery protocols and resilience planning. The integrated national framework coordinates across government, private sector and critical infrastructure operators. Regular intelligence updates help entities anticipate shifts in attacker behaviour. This comprehensive strategy has maintained continuity of essential services despite the elevated threat level.
