Mohammed Al-Kuwaiti, head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council, announced the occurrence of 640,000 cyberattacks in one day during the "Media and Fifth Generation Warfare" session at the Arab Media Summit. He stated that the impact of these attacks could go beyond temporary service disruptions, and hackers may target critical data and sectors such as electricity, water, and the economy.
The Importance of Public Awareness
Al-Kuwaiti emphasized that "awareness is the first line of defense" and that people should question the information they receive, identify its source, and verify it before sharing. He also noted that the nature of cyber warfare is changing, with attacks moving towards decentralization, allowing individuals, including those he referred to as "lone wolves," to have a significant impact. He said, "An individual can influence society and change the course of events using fake or fabricated information."
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Cybersecurity Challenges
Al-Kuwaiti referred to a cyberattack involving a private sector organization, where a hacker exploited an unpatched vulnerability and demanded $5 million. The attacker claimed to have accessed the organization's systems and threatened to leak its data. Cooperation between government entities and the private sector, along with international coordination, helped protect the organization and respond to the attack. However, the hacker published some information on the dark web, indicating that cyberattacks can cross borders and require collaboration between different countries and sectors.
The head of the Cybersecurity Council also pointed out the human costs of abusing digital technologies, citing a case of a child who was bullied and extorted by a group of students using deepfake technology. This incident led to the child's withdrawal from school for a year.
Risks of Fifth Generation Warfare
Al-Kuwaiti warned that a concerning aspect of fifth-generation warfare is that it can extend beyond targeting systems to targeting individuals themselves. He said, "Paralyzed systems can be recovered and repaired, but paralyzed ideas and minds, and what affects habits and values, is more dangerous." He also referred to the dangers of harmful ideas that spread rapidly in cyberspace, stating that this could contribute to extremism and terrorism.
Al-Kuwaiti emphasized that accurate information must be communicated quickly to prevent the creation of an environment where a large volume of information is published without transparency. He said, "Holding conferences and official announcements are important tools to combat misinformation and provide accurate information to citizens and residents."
He urged media and community members to exercise greater caution when dealing with AI-generated or altered content. Al-Kuwaiti also stressed the need to maintain credibility in media reporting, stating that individuals should verify information from official and credible sources before believing or sharing it.
Finally, Al-Kuwaiti spoke about the many opportunities that artificial intelligence technology offers, emphasizing that 95% of its uses and interactions are positive. He called for policies and governance frameworks for the responsible use of this technology, stating, "It is a genie that has come out of the bottle, and we must control it and use it for good."
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