Cyfirma debuts technology with Tech First Gulf to curb cybercriminals in the Middle East
James Thorpe
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CYFIRMA, an external threat landscape management platform company, has introduced a range of external threat visibility platforms for Middle East-based businesses, signaling a move that’s poised to arm regional enterprises with the tools required to curb emerging and existing cyber threats.
According to research published in the Global Risks Report 2022, through the pandemic, ransomware attacks increased by 435% and malware attacks by 358%. These attacks have been increasing at a pace where societies haven’t been able to keep up and prevent or respond to them effectively.
DeCYFIR is the world’s first external threat visibility management platform with the capabilities to combine cyber intelligence with attack surface discovery, vulnerability intelligence, brand intelligence, situational awareness and protection against digital risk – all on a single pane of glass. The platform automatically correlates and attributes threat actor to motive, campaign and method and help organisations predict cyber-attacks targeting them.
DeTCT is the cutting-edge digital risk protection platform helping customers identify and monitor for vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors, develop an awareness of data leaks and breaches as well as the risks posed by third parties. Businesses can also subscribe to DeTCT to protect their brand and reputation by detecting copyright infringement and identity theft.
Cyber threats to keep an eye on
- Cyber-attacks targeting FIFA World Cup
Based on CYFIRMA’s research, multiple hacking campaigns have started to target organisations related to the FIFA World Cup and its sponsor companies. Hacking groups behind these campaigns are observed to be carrying out reconnaissance activities in preparation for attacks in the coming months. Targets include World Cup organisers, ticket dealers, critical infrastructure and entities involved in the supply chain ecosystem.
As part of the reconnaissance activities, hacking groups have identified assets to exploit. The threat actor activities include website defacement, disruption of critical services and temporary paralysis of IT systems supporting the event. We can also expect multiple phishing campaigns where hackers would be masquerading as the World Cup organising committee to lure unsuspecting individuals into divulging sensitive and confidential data.
- Ransomware Attacks
The number of ransomware attacks targeting the Middle East has been increasing year on year and CYFIRMA researchers expect the rate and scale of attacks to increase in coming months. Ransomware operators are continuously improving their techniques with an intent to intimidate and force victims to pay ransom. Most ransomware gangs are financially motivated and eager for ransom settlements. Damaging the data has also been another flavour that is observed at the core of many malware attacks.
There are cases where the returned files are altered, resulting in damages. In a double whammy, the ransomware attacks can destroy the victims’ data and even after paying the ransom, some victims still end up losing their files. Large organisations with multinational presence and influential economic and societal footprints are attractive targets as a break in their complex supply chain ecosystem would cause significant disruption thereby increasing the possibilities of ransom payment.
- Spread misinformation and disinformation to create a bad name for the UAE
Given the complexities of technological, economic and societal change that has taken place in the last two years, cyberthreats targeting the UAE have also included the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Created by adversaries that cuts across national boundaries, the objective here is to give the UAE a bad name, destabilise the group and advance other commercial and political goals.
- Create operational disruption using DDoS and damaging equipment
The oil and gas industries are the lifeline of nations in the UAE. This industry is highly vulnerable to cyberthreats as hacking groups have set their sight to cause widespread disruption and obtain massive ransom payments. The use of DDoS attacks and injection of malware to damage equipment are also two prominent methods used by attackers.
With the Middle East threat landscape becoming increasingly complex, many business leaders recognise they cannot manage the challenge using conventional cybersecurity strategies and controls. CYFIRMA’s external threat landscape management platforms will provide advanced threat monitoring and analytics to help defenders establish effective controls around the organisation’s most sensitive assets and balance the need to reduce risk while enabling business growth.