The UAE has witnessed an 11.7% increase in malware detections from January to May 2024, amidst significant global cybersecurity challenges and a surge in email attacks, according to a new report by Acronis.
The “Acronis Cyberthreats Report H1 2024: Email Attacks Surge 293%, New Ransomware Groups Emerge” highlights a 293% increase in email attacks compared to the same period in 2023. The report, which leverages data from over one million unique Windows endpoints across 15 key countries, aims to raise awareness about global cybersecurity trends.
Regional Impact
The rise in malware detections in the UAE reflects a broader trend in the EMEA region, which has seen increasing malware and high-profile ransomware attacks. Bahrain had the highest malware detection rate at 63.2% in April 2024, followed by Egypt at 42.6%.
“The insights from Acronis’ H1 2024 Cyberthreats Report highlight the urgent need for heightened vigilance and advanced protective measures,” said Ziad Nasr, General Manager for the Middle East at Acronis. He noted that the UAE has been identified as a prime target for ransomware attacks, with the average cost of a data breach in the Middle East exceeding $8 million in 2023.
MSPs in particular are vulnerable, facing threats such as phishing, social engineering, and supply chain attacks. Acronis encourages MSPs to adopt comprehensive security strategies, including security awareness training and advanced endpoint protection solutions like XDR and multi-factor authentication.
Emerging Trends
Ransomware continues to pose a major threat, especially to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in critical sectors like government and healthcare. In Q1 2024, Acronis identified 10 new ransomware groups responsible for 84 cyberattacks globally. The top three most active ransomware families—LockBit, Black Basta, and PLAY—accounted for 35% of these attacks. Ransomware detections rose by 32% from Q4 2023 to Q1 2024.
Acronis’ report also highlights the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) by threat groups. AI is being leveraged for social engineering and automation attacks, with common AI-generated threats including malicious emails, deepfake business email compromise (BEC), and AI-enabled malware.
Middle East Threat Landscape & Trends
The UAE’s malware detection rates remained lower compared to high-risk countries like Germany, France, and Egypt, but still indicate a growing threat. The percentage of UAE clients with malware detections increased significantly from 17.6% in January 2024 to 29.3% by May.
Bahrain, Egypt, and South Korea were the top countries targeted by malware in Q1 2024. Global detections included blocking 28 million URLs at the endpoint and identifying that 27.6% of all received emails were spam, with 1.5% containing malware or phishing links.
Cybersecurity Trends in H1 2024
The report notes several key trends:
- Ransomware remains a major threat, with new groups exploiting vulnerable systems and disabling security tools.
- PowerShell was the most frequently detected MITRE technique in Q1 2024.
- Email attacks surged by 293% compared to H1 2023.
- Phishing and social engineering were the most successful techniques used against MSPs.
Leveraging AI
Cybercriminals continue to use malicious AI tools like WormGPT and FraudGPT. While AI can aid attackers, it can also serve as a defense mechanism, providing round-the-clock detection and reporting of attacks.
The Acronis H1 2024 Cyberthreats Report is curated by the Acronis Threat Research Unit and includes data on ransomware threats, phishing, malicious websites, software vulnerabilities, and cybersecurity tips. Released biannually, the report sets the industry standard for cybersecurity intelligence, helping users, partners, and the global cybersecurity community stay informed about ongoing threats.