What happened
The UAE Cybersecurity Council issued a warning about a significant surge in AI‑enabled fraud, noting that artificial intelligence is enabling cybercriminals to craft highly convincing scams, from realistic voice impersonations to polished phishing messages and trustworthy‑looking links. According to the Council, AI‑powered phishing is behind more than 90 % of digital breaches, as scammers remove traditional detection cues and blur the line between legitimate and fraudulent communications. The advisory was issued as part of the Council’s weekly Cyber Pulse awareness campaign.
Who is affected
This escalation in AI‑driven fraud poses risks to individuals, businesses, and public sector organisations operating in the UAE’s increasingly digitised environment. Fraudsters’ use of AI to mimic official logos, voices, and messaging patterns means customers, employees, and digitally connected stakeholders are all potential targets.
Why CISOs should care
- Escalating threat sophistication: AI tools are reducing the time and effort needed to generate convincing scams, increasing attack volume and lowering adversary barriers to entry.
- Phishing efficacy: With AI improving fidelity and eliminating warning signs, traditional phishing detection and user training models may be less effective.
- Reputational and financial risk: Successful fraud campaigns can lead to account takeovers, data breaches, financial loss, and erosion of trust in digital services.
3 Practical Actions for CISOs
- Enhance Multi‑Factor Authentication (MFA) Adoption: Mandate and monitor strong MFA across all user accounts, the Council notes that MFA can block more than 90 % of fraud attempts.
- Upgrade Detection and Filtering Tool: Invest in AI‑augmented anti‑phishing and anomaly detection solutions that can flag subtle cues in communication patterns, and integrate them with SIEM/XDR platforms.
- Expand Awareness and Training Programmes: Reinforce employee and customer training on spotting deepfake voices, fake URLs, and AI‑polished messaging. Regular phishing simulations and verification protocols can raise the human detection rate.