Digital infrastructure under siege as geopolitical and technological forces collide
The Middle East is in the crosshairs of an unprecedented wave of cyberattacks in 2025, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran among the hardest-hit nations. A volatile combination of rising geopolitical tensions, rapid digitalization, and expanding cloud infrastructure has created fertile ground for increasingly sophisticated and politically charged cyber threats.
“Cyberattacks are no longer just technical threats—they’re instruments of political disruption and civil unrest.” — Morey Haber, Chief Security Advisor, BeyondTrust
In a headline-grabbing spree of cybercrime, over 600 government and private sector organizations in the UAE were hit by what experts are calling a “highly coordinated, global cyberattack.” The breach, claimed by hacker group rose87168, exploited vulnerabilities in Oracle Cloud’s infrastructure, compromising more than six million records globally.
Within the UAE, the attack impacted:
30 government agencies
13 private sector firms
Multiple critical infrastructure and financial service providers
UAE authorities responded swiftly, deploying emergency defense protocols and blocking 634 cyberattacks aimed at national and private networks. Investigations revealed connections to a broader cyber espionage campaign affecting over 140,000 entities worldwide. “Hackers are getting bolder, smarter, and faster,” noted a GISEC Global cybersecurity analyst. “The UAE has become a digital battleground.”
”Cyber threats in 2025 have evolved into weapons of economic disruption. In the Middle East, the real storm is not in the headlines — it’s in our networks. It’s time CIOs stop treating cyber risk as a technical debt and start leading it as a business-critical agenda.”—Ali Katkhada Group Chief Information Officer, Depa Group
In a chilling example of how disinformation has become a central tool in cyber warfare, a recent cyberattack targeted UAE’s television streaming platforms, disrupting service and replacing live broadcasts with deepfake news clips designed to sow political confusion and public unrest.
The attackers used AI-generated videos featuring fabricated government statements and false breaking news headlines—raising serious concerns about the vulnerability of media infrastructure and the growing power of synthetic content in modern propaganda campaigns.
“We’re facing a cyber battlefield, not just a virtual nuisance,” said Dr. Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Chairman of the UAE Cybersecurity Council. “These attacks are relentless—and many are politically motivated.”
Across the Gulf, Iran faced its own cyber crisis. In addition to the Codebreakers’ breach of Bank Sepah, a new group calling itself IRLeaks launched an attack on several Iranian banks, exfiltrating sensitive customer data, internal financial records, and emails linked to senior political figures.
The IRLeaks breach triggered widespread public outrage, particularly as it exposed alleged government financial mismanagement and corruption. Analysts say the leaks could destabilize consumer confidence and deepen economic unrest within the country.
According to CloudSEK, 447 cyber incidents were recorded across the Middle East in 2024—marking a dramatic surge in politically motivated attacks. Government agencies, defense systems, and the financial sector were the most frequent targets, but sectors like construction and education are increasingly vulnerable due to weaker cyber defenses.
“The recent surge in cyberattacks across the Middle East isn’t just a ripple—it’s a digital storm fuelled by geopolitical tensions and opportunistic threat actors. As boundaries blur between nation-state conflicts and cybercrime, organizations must shift from reactive defense to proactive resilience. Cybersecurity can no longer be an afterthought—it’s now a frontline strategy.”
Mohannad Hennawi, Group IT Manager, NAFFCO FZCO
Advanced persistent threats (APTs) across the Middle East and Africa rose by 4.27%, with nearly a third attributed to state-backed espionage operations.
The connection between cybercrime and regional instability is becoming increasingly evident.
“Anytime there’s geopolitical unrest within a region, threat actors will capitalize on the turmoil in order to propagate their message,” said Morey Haber, Chief Security Advisor at BeyondTrust.
“While the attack vectors can vary from hacking TV stations to phishing attacks, the main goal is to provide misinformation in order to drive civil discord. Considering the turmoil in the commercial stock markets and geopolitical unrest in various regions, any flaws in media, social engineering, or government services become prime targets for threat actors to disseminate their information. In the end, all businesses, governments, and even end users need to be vigilant regarding their own cybersecurity and ensure they do not become a carrier for malicious content.”
Haber’s insight is echoed in the UAE’s deepfake TV disruption—a textbook case of using media infrastructure to manipulate public perception and destabilize trust in official channels.
A recent PwC report found that 55% of Middle Eastern companies now prioritize digital risk mitigation, surpassing the global average. Yet, 42% still cite cybersecurity as a top concern—a sign that many organizations are still playing catch-up. GISEC Global, the region’s largest cybersecurity event, warned that cloud systems and supply chains are emerging as critical vulnerabilities. Many attacks now originate via third-party vendors or misconfigured digital platforms.
Conclusion: Cybersecurity experts stress that this latest string of attacks is a wake-up call. Businesses must shift from reactive defense to proactive resilience. Recommendations include:
Zero-Trust Security Models: Validate every access request—don’t assume trust.
Cloud Security Overhauls: Collaborate with providers to harden defenses.
Employee Training: Build awareness around phishing, social engineering, and malware.
24/7 Threat Monitoring: Early detection and threat intelligence are essential.
Incident Reporting Protocols: Rapid response can dramatically reduce damage.
