The Cybersecurity Council says the rise in UAE cyberattacks shows stronger detection, not successful breaches.
On October 21, 2026, the UAE’s Cybersecurity Council said it had stopped close to 750,000 attempted attacks over the past few months. Most of the UAE cyberattacks went after energy and education, two sectors the country can’t afford to see disrupted.
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Inside the UAE’s 750,000 Cyberattack Defence
The council put the number of UAE cyberattacks detected and countered at around 750,000.
No exact dates were given, only “recent months.” Even so, the scale of these UAE cyberattacks shows how constantly the country’s networks are being tested.
Energy and Education in Focus
Energy and education were named as the main targets of the UAE cyberattacks. Both keep essential services running, from power supply to learning.
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The council added that several vital sectors came under pressure, so the full list of UAE cyberattack targets goes beyond these two.
Think of a school or a power utility. Both will stop working if the network goes down, and that is exactly what UAE cyberattacks aim to cause.
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How the Attacks Were Foiled
According to the council, the UAE cyberattacks were countered by an integrated national cybersecurity system. It relies on continuous monitoring, early detection, advanced analysis, and proactive response in coordination with relevant national authorities.
The attempts included remote code execution, DDoS attacks, phishing, and AI-driven attacks. The UAE cyberattacks were designed to break into systems, flood services with traffic until they crashed, or fool staff into handing over sensitive details.
The council said the work is meant to keep vital sectors ready and able to recover quickly. Digital services stay online as a result.
Why Higher Numbers Do Not Mean Breaches
A bigger count of detected UAE cyberattacks, the council said, doesn’t automatically mean more of them got through.
It points the other way. National teams are catching more attempts, responding faster and limiting the damage from UAE cyberattacks.
Regional Context
A separate study by Positive Technologies, reported by Khaleej Times on September 18, adds regional context on UAE cyberattacks. It found the UAE was the Gulf’s most targeted country in the first half of 2026, with 35 percent of recorded attacks.
For the Gulf as a whole, exploiting software or hardware weaknesses was the leading method, used in 38 percent of cases. Malware came next at 31 percent, and social engineering at 27 percent. These figures are separate from the council’s count of UAE cyberattacks.
The Positive Technologies chief also flagged phishing through email, WhatsApp, and other messaging apps. If a link arrives unexpectedly, don’t click it. Phishing is one tactic behind UAE cyberattacks, and it only works when someone clicks.
A National Priority
The council called the protection of digital infrastructure and vital sectors a national priority. To handle UAE cyberattacks, it is leaning on advanced technology, AI included, and tighter coordination between authorities.
Threats keep changing, and the council says it will keep pace. Catching UAE cyberattacks early is what keeps essential digital services running.
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