The globe paces with ease of access to the internet towards digitalization. The United Arab Emirates is one of the fastest nations in this regard. The following statistics published in the Digital 2021 Report of Datareportal substantiate this statement extremely well.
- In January 2021, 9.84 million people were active on social media in the United Arab Emirates, out of a total population of 9.94 million. This shows that the number of active social media users accounted for 99% of the entire population.
- The internet penetration rate of the UAE was 99% in January 2021. The internet penetration rate is the proportion of a country’s total population who utilizes the internet.
- In January 2021, UAE had 17.06 million mobile connections. This corresponds to 171.6 percent of the total population.
Other statistics supporting the above assertion may also be looked upon.
- According to a report, 97.6% of the UAE’s overall population have a smartphone.
- Last year, an inhabitant of the United Arab Emirates spent an average of 7 hours and 24 minutes online each day according to a survey.
The above eye-catching statistics demonstrate UAE’s rapid digitalization. With rapid digitalization, the importance of cyber security should not be overlooked. Furthermore, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, cyber security is more vital than ever.
Impact of COVID-19 in Cyber Security
The outbreak of COVID-19 was declared by the World Health Organization a pandemic that caused a major impact on the lives of people, families, and communities. This had an immediate impact on businesses, altering employee work norms and introducing new cyber threats.
While companies swiftly adapted to this transition to keep their operations functioning, and individuals got accustomed to remote working and using e-commerce for possibly anything, cybercriminals have also taken advantage of this transition in online habits. The outbreak of coronavirus has increased the possibility and effect of cyber assaults.
Over the previous year, UAE saw a 300% rise in cyber assaults, with the frequency projected to expand over the course of the digital revolution. According to a top UAE government official, the Covid-19 pandemic has increased user’s vulnerability to cyber assaults as more individuals work remotely and stay online for longer periods of time.
Last year, Dubai Police received 25,000 e-crime reports as cyber crooks exploited the global disruption created by Covid-19. As the number of cyber-attacks increases, so does the need for cyber security experts to forecast, defend, and respond to them.
Dr. Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti at GISEC (Gulf Information Security Expo & Conference) stated, “This last year has shown us that we are not only in the middle of a pandemic but also in the midst of a digital revolution.”
To cope with the growing incidence of fraudulent activity brought upon by Covid-19, the UAE Banks Federation, the Central Bank of the UAE, Abu Dhabi Police, and Dubai Police have also launched the UAE’s first national fraud awareness campaign to educate and protect consumers from financial cybercrime and fraud.
Difficulties that Corporations confront in fighting Cybercrime
Cybercrime, a term that has so far eluded a universally agreed definition, looks to be the next evil affecting mankind, and it has taken a center stage. There are several obstacles ahead of us in the battle against cybercrime. The following are a few of them:
- Lack of understanding and culture of cyber security at both individual and corporate levels.
- Insufficient trained and competent personnel to carry out the countermeasures.
- Lack of security risk management and providing corporate training.
- An ineffective security compliance audit.
- International standards, as well as UAE rules and regulations, are not being met.
These problems may be monitored, and systematic actions can be made to prevent such occurrences. Authorities may potentially be called in to seek a cure, but after anything has happened, there is no sense. Rather, keeping your workplace and yourself safe and secure is important and everyone’s duty.
Cybercriminals operate as a business model these days, and we at Securium Solutions aim to put an end to it.
Conclusion
The Digital World is still in its early stages, and cyber theft will be the most visible risk it brings. We at Securium Solutions will strive to give you first-rate services that will assist you and your business in securing your workplace in accordance with international standards as well as UAE laws and regulations. The pandemic has served as a reminder that hackers are always honing their abilities and tactics and if we don’t do the same, we will be defeated by cyber assaulters.
