UAE officials call for stricter penalties to combat cybercrime threat

Developing innovative security solutions is crucial, say senior officers and experts

Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Tamim, deputy chief of police and public security in Dubai.

UAE law enforcement officials have called for stricter penalties, new legislation and more tech training for their officers to fight a rise in cyber attacks as criminals use innovative ways to steal data and exploit victims.

Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, deputy chief of police and public security in Dubai, said it's crucial for legal amendments to address the rapid evolution of non-traditional electronic crimes, using AI and deepfakes.

Speaking at the 'Future Crimes and the Role of Cybersecurity in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution' seminar held at Dubai Police Officers Club on Thursday, he stressed how criminals are using “artificial intelligence to steal data, attack critical infrastructure and carry out cyber espionage”.

Such acts “knows no physical or geographical boundaries”, he added.

Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, head of UAE Cybersecurity Council, also backed the call for stricter penalties.

While the UAE cyber law is among the best globally, chief prosecutor for electronic crimes at Dubai Prosecution, Khaled Al Junaibi, stressed that “continuous updates are necessary”.

“It is essential to establish specialised courts with dedicated prosecutors to handle these types of cases,” he added.

Mr Al Kuwaiti said there are 50,000 daily attacks in the UAE, with “75 per cent of cyber threats involving extortion” and “49 per cent of institutions facing ransomware attacks”.

“In the first quarter of this year alone, we thwarted 71 million attacks in the UAE,” he added.

Specialised training for officers

Extensive training of “police officers handling electronic cases, prosecutors and also judges” is also vital to keep tech-savy criminals at bay, highlighted Lt Gen Tamim.

Conducting “intensive courses and workshops” by experts in the field of cyber security and technology will help “ensure a comprehensive understanding of the issues like deepfakes and ransomware”.

The senior officer said there is a need to leverage what UAE educational institutions, especially those that specialise in AI, have to offer.

It would help if students who are specialising in the field of AI can team up with us and share their insights to help “devise innovative security solutions” to fight cyber crime.

Lt Gen Tamim emphasised the need to be armed with “well-studied plans that are continuously updated to keep pace with developments”.

Globally, Mr Al Kuwaiti said the “total projected losses due to cyber attacks by 2025 will touch $10.5 trillion, with ransomware losses alone expected to reach $265 billion by 2031 “.

“In 2021, the global cost of data breaches was around $4.45 billion, with 64 per cent of institutions worldwide experiencing cyber security incidents that year.”

Criminals target critical infrastructure such as power and communication networks, and the banking sector, with institutions facing a ransomware attack every 11 seconds.

“These attacks include personal data and identity theft, financial fraud, social security number theft, home addresses and financial information,” Mr Al Kuwaiti said, adding that “other attacks involve using chatbots to spread misinformation to manipulate elections, promote violence and social instability”.