Technology giant HP said on Monday that cyber attackers are refining age-old phishing and “living-off-the-land” (LOTL) techniques to bypass traditional detection tools, using highly polished fake PDF invoices and hidden malware in image files, according to its latest Threat Insights Report.

LOTL techniques, where attackers exploit legitimate tools and features built into Windows systems, have long been part of cybercriminals’ playbooks.

But HP researchers said increasingly complex campaigns using multiple, often uncommon binaries are making it harder to distinguish malicious activity from legitimate operations.

From fake PDF invoices to embedded malicious code: what fraudsters are using now

The report highlighted a new wave of sophisticated social engineering lures. In one campaign, attackers embedded a reverse shell in a small SVG image disguised as a realistic Adobe Acrobat Reader invoice, complete with a fake loading bar to trick users. The downloads were geo-fenced to German-speaking regions to hinder automated analysis and delay detection.

Other attacks involved hiding malicious code in Microsoft Compiled HTML Help files within image pixels, which were used to execute multi-step infection chains with LOTL tools like PowerShell and CMD scripts that erased traces of the attack.

Read: UAE cyber body warns of rising breaches linked to public wi‑fi use

HP also observed the resurgent Lumma Stealer malware spreading via IMG archive files, continuing operations despite a law enforcement crackdown in May.

“Attackers aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they are refining their techniques,” said Alex Holland, Principal Threat Researcher at HP Security Lab. “We’re seeing more chaining of living-off-the-land tools and use of less obvious file types, such as images, to evade detection. Take reverse shells – a simple script can achieve the same effect as a full RAT, slipping under the radar.”

HP said these campaigns illustrate the increasing creativity and adaptability of threat actors, who tailor attacks to regions and exploit trusted system tools to avoid detection.

The company said its HP Wolf Security platform allows malware to detonate safely in isolated containers, giving insight into evolving attack methods without endangering customers.

According to the report, data from April-June showed that at least 13 per cent of email threats bypassed one or more email gateway scanners.

Archive files were the most popular delivery type (40 per cent), followed by executables and scripts (35 per cent). Attackers increasingly used .rar files, leveraging trusted software like WinRAR to avoid suspicion.

Living off the land techniques pose challenges

“Living off the land techniques are notoriously difficult for security teams because it’s hard to tell legitimate activity from attacks,” said Dr Ian Pratt, global head of Security for Personal Systems at HP. “Even the best detection will miss some threats, so defense-in-depth with containment and isolation is essential to trap attacks before they can cause harm.”

The HP report analysed data from consenting HP Wolf Security customers between April and June this year.

For more than a century, Kempinski Hotels has defined European elegance and timeless service, welcoming royals, celebrities, and travellers seeking a refined sense of luxury. Today, under the leadership of Barbara Muckermann, its first female CEO, the 128-year-old brand is writing a new chapter. With an ambitious expansion plan that includes more than 30 new hotels and residences across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, Kempinski is embracing the region’s fast-evolving taste for authentic, curated luxury while staying true to its heritage.

In this conversation with Gulf Business, Muckermann reflects on the balance between tradition and reinvention, the power of diversity, and the trends reshaping what true luxury means for the next generation of travellers.

Kempinski is Europe’s oldest luxury hospitality group, and you’re the first female CEO in its 128-year history. How do you balance preserving its European heritage while adapting the brand to the rapidly evolving Middle Eastern luxury market?

Our brand and heritage are tremendous strengths. As Europe’s oldest luxury hospitality group, they speak to timeless elegance, craftsmanship, and a deeper commitment to service excellence. In discovering the history of the brand, I learned that Kempinski has always been in the vanguard of hospitality, originating several service innovations that we take for granted today. In addition, Kempinski has been the first choice for royals, diplomats, and celebrities throughout its history, which helps drive our commitment to luxury.

For the Middle East, where guests’ expectations are constantly evolving, we see an exciting opportunity to reinterpret true luxury in a way that resonates. For example, we are working to increase the number of historic and resort properties in our portfolio, so that loyal guests can stay within the Kempinski ecosystem throughout their travels.

Equally important has been the process of empowering our regional teams and investing in talent and leadership. Incredible experiences and great service aren’t just about polish – they’re about creating experiences that feed the human spirit and help build connections. That human connection is what brings the Kempinski experience to life, wherever we are in the world.

Kempinski plans to add more than 30 new hotels and residences across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. What specific opportunities do you see in the GCC, and how will you ensure these new properties resonate with local culture and ultra‑luxury expectations?

We see strong growth opportunities within the region, particularly in destinations that position themselves as global lifestyle and cultural hubs – Riyadh, Doha and Dubai for example – as well as emerging leisure destinations such as Oman and Saudi Arabia. We are enhancing our current properties to ensure that they can provide curated, high-touch luxury experiences that go beyond traditional hospitality.

We know from experience that Kempinski guests seek a genuine connection to the places they visit and want to be immersed in the destination, as opposed to feeling they could be anywhere in the world. So, the more of the destination we can reflect, from the moment someone walks into the lobby, the more meaningful and memorable the stay becomes. A big part of that is working closely with regional developers, artists and designers to reflect the aesthetics, values and expectations in every aspect of the guest experience.

Of course, the MENA region is also an important source of outbound travel for properties in Asia, Europe and Africa. We are seeing strong interest from the region across our portfolio, particularly as we add new properties. A great example is the Kempinski Royal Residence Nymphenburg, just outside of Munich, which we started operating this year.

Nymphenburg was the Royal House of Bavaria for more than 200 years and it is more than a luxurious retreat – it is a living monument to royal history and lifestyle, and that distinct offering is proving very appealing to families from the Gulf region.

You’ve emphasised regional structure rather than central control from Geneva. How does this decentralisation enable your Middle East teams to deliver authentic, localised luxury experiences?

We’ve placed a strong focus on deepening our presence in the key regions of Europe and the Middle East. The former because that is where our roots are and where we work with many institutional partners, and the latter to be close to our shareholders and to benefit from the region’s strong growth. This is strategically very important.

One of the first things I wanted to reinforce when I joined Kempinski was the importance of a strong regional structure. We are immensely proud of our heritage and global standards, but true luxury is always local and needs to reflect the cultural context and nuances of each market. By trusting the people who are closest to the experience, we give them the tools and freedom to shape guest experiences in a way that feels authentic.

In practice, this provides for greater agility and deeper cultural alignment. It also builds stronger relationships with our owners, because we’re able to respond quickly and with a real understanding of what success looks like in their specific market.

Building a diverse leadership team is one of your priorities. Could you share how you’ve championed gender diversity and other inclusive practices since taking the helm?

Building a diverse leadership team can truly shape a stronger, more thoughtful brand. When you bring different perspectives to the table, especially in a space like luxury hospitality, it changes the way you think about everything, from design to guest experience. I’ve been very intentional about bringing more women into senior roles, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it genuinely improves the way we operate.

As one example, Nadine Al Bulushi, who was the first Omani woman to become a hotel general manager, leads Kempinski Hotel Muscat and was recently named GM of the Year: Oman in the Hotelier Middle East Awards. Rasha Lababidi joined us as chief product officer and immediately started asking the kinds of questions others might not, spotting small but important things that impact how our guests feel. Karin Raguin, who has joined as the new chief human resources officer, is bringing in a lot of knowledge and experience from the luxury goods and fashion industries, helping us to sharpen our focus on the customer.

That’s what true diversity brings – it changes the way we think and the way we work.

We’re working to make this part of our culture. Whether it’s hiring, mentoring, or developing talent, the goal is to create a space where different voices can grow and lead.

Having driven innovation at Silversea, how are you applying that mindset to Kempinski’s properties in the Middle East, be it through wellness initiatives, digital enhancements, or bespoke culinary experiences?

The mindset of innovation already runs deep in the Kempinski DNA. This is a brand that has always looked for ways to elevate the guest experience, from being among the first to combine entertainment with dining, to launching one of the world’s first weekend resorts. The question now is, how do we carry that legacy forward and make it relevant in 2025?

There are a lot of learnings we can take from the cruise industry into the hotel industry. Hotels have the advantage of completely controlling the product because they’re purpose-built destinations, so you can create a unique and seamless guest experience.

From a functional perspective, we need to focus more on the directionality of demand, because nobody ever showed up in port and said, “I want to take a cruise today”, and yet it happens every day in hotels. So, there is room to rethink the hospitality sector’s current business model, manage demand differently, and provide a more solid and memorable product to guests in parallel.

Key trends that are redefining the hospitality sector – any ones you are keenly focused on.

We’re seeing a clear move towards brand consolidation. For years, the industry has focused on rapid expansion and diversifying brand portfolios, but that’s starting to shift. Guests want to know exactly what a brand stands for and the winners will be those who stay focused and build real emotional connections with guests – not just scale. For Kempinski, this means going back to luxury and redefining and strengthening our luxury appeal, using the strength of our European perspective to make us different and unique – the market only pays for difference and uniqueness.

We can also see a meaningful change in how luxury is defined. Today’s travellers aren’t looking for excess or extravagance, they’re looking for experiences that feel authentic and tailored to who they are and what they need at that point in time. This idea of ‘quiet luxury’, where refinement is subtle and intuitive, is becoming increasingly relevant. At the same time, we can see a rise in adventurous travelers who are curious about the destinations they visit. This opens up a tremendous wealth of opportunities for hoteliers and operators to craft more immersive, story-driven experiences.

Wellness is another area that has become non-negotiable. It’s no longer limited to spa offerings. We’re seeing holistic wellbeing presented across different touchpoints throughout the entire stay. Whether it’s sleep, movement, nutrition, or a sense of calm, guests are expecting wellness to be woven into the full experience, and this is a key pillar that we’ll be focusing on at Kempinski. You can expect to see these experiential changes in the Kempinski offering in the coming months.

Seven in ten UAE retailers are now integrating digital tools into their physical stores, signalling a major shift toward omnichannel retail, according to a new survey by global technology company Zoho Corp.

The study, conducted by Zoho Commerce and titled The UAE Retailer Survey, gathered insights from more than 300 businesses and highlights emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges in the country’s retail segment.

“The retail sector in the UAE is taking a more holistic and intelligent approach to commerce,” said Prashant Ganti, VP, Global Product Strategy, Finance & Operations, Zoho. “Our study shows retailers are building unified experiences by combining online and offline channels, reflecting a trend in how a modern consumer purchases. As the country’s retail sector continues its digital evolution, businesses that invest in the right tools, including AI to enhance buyer experience, will lead the next wave of growth.”

The report found that 57 per cent of UAE retailers operate both physical and digital storefronts, with nearly seven in 10 generating similar revenue from each channel.

Key drivers: What retailers say is making a difference

Retailers cited expanding market access, evolving consumer behaviour, and the need for personalised experiences as key drivers of this transformation.

Despite e-commerce growth, half of the surveyed retailers plan to expand their physical footprint, with pop-up stores and in-store partnerships emerging as popular strategies to provide experiential value.

Social media has become the leading discovery channel, with 69 per cent of respondents saying it is where customers first find products, surpassing search engines and marketplaces.

The survey also noted rising consumer expectations for speed and convenience, with 54 per cent of retailers reporting growing demand for faster delivery and 49 per cent noting a rise in same-day service.

Retailers are investing in in-store technology, with 64 per cent offering mobile payments and over 60 per cent deploying digital screens or tablets to aid product discovery. Nearly 70 per cent said in-store tech improves speed and customer convenience.

However, the report highlighted challenges in omnichannel execution, including balancing online and offline operations (51 per cent), logistics issues, and rising operational costs.

Common customer friction points include high shipping fees online and limited staff or long checkout lines in-store.

Looking ahead, nearly 60 per cent of retailers plan to invest in AI and machine learning to enhance competitiveness, focusing on channel integration, expanded payment options, and hyper-personalised experiences.

Nearly half believe AI will fundamentally reshape the future of online retail.

In other news, Zoho Commerce recently launched a new version of its e-commerce platform with a redesigned interface and enhanced features to support evolving retail needs.

Saudi Arabia’s Hassana Investment Company has partnered with AviLease, the aircraft lessor owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), to establish a dedicated aircraft leasing joint venture, the companies said on Monday.

Hassana will hold a majority stake in the venture, while AviLease will act as the aircraft service provider.

The JV will target both international and local investors, aiming to broaden access to aviation financing while supporting Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy.

JV to acquire aircraft from AviLease

As its first transaction, the joint venture will acquire 10 fuel-efficient aircraft from AviLease, currently leased to Saudi-based airlines.

“This strategic partnership underscores our commitment to investing in resilient assets that generate sustainable, long-term cash flows,” said Hani Aljehani, acting CEO and CIO of Hassana. “Through our collaboration with AviLease, we aim to strengthen our exposure to the aviation leasing sector while advancing the kingdom’s broader aviation aspirations.”

Fahad Al-Saif, chairman of AviLease, said the partnership highlighted the role of Saudi investment institutions in supporting the kingdom’s aviation ambitions and marked the private sector’s first step into this growth area.

He said the venture would also attract both local and international investments to Saudi financial markets.

Edward O’Byrne, CEO of AviLease, said: “Partnering with Hassana reinforces our role as a PIF company delivering long-term value through best-in-class asset management and origination.

“The proposed joint venture is a foundational step in building a scalable platform that supports the growth of Saudi Arabia’s aviation ecosystem.”

Red Sea Global (RSG), the Saudi developer behind The Red Sea and AMAALA tourism projects, will open the first phase of resorts and attractions on Shura Island in the coming weeks, marking a key milestone in the kingdom’s efforts to expand luxury tourism.

The initial launch includes the debut of three hotels, SLS The Red Sea, The Red Sea EDITION, and InterContinental The Red Sea Resort, as well as Shura Links, the country’s first island golf course.

“As the heart of The Red Sea, Shura Island represents everything Red Sea Global stands for: bold ambition, deep respect for nature, and a commitment to redefining tourism in Saudi Arabia and beyond,” said John Pagano, group CEO of RSG. “With the soft opening of Shura in the coming weeks, we move closer to achieving our mission to set new standards in regenerative tourism, while realising Vision 2030.”

Read: Red Sea Global’s CEO shares how the firm is delivering on Saudi’s tourism agenda

Red Sea Global’s Shura Island to be home to 11 resorts

Shura Island will eventually feature 11 resorts, with additional openings planned in the coming months, including properties operated by Faena, Fairmont, Four Seasons, Grand Hyatt, Jumeirah, Miraval, Raffles, and Rosewood.

Designed by Foster + Partners under the “Coral Bloom” concept, the dolphin-shaped island integrates architecture with surrounding coral reefs and runs entirely on renewable energy, RSG said.

The destination will be accessible by boat or electric vehicle across the 3.3-kilometre Shura crossing, which includes Saudi Arabia’s longest internal bridge. Red Sea International Airport, already serving domestic and international routes, will add direct Qatar Airways flights from next month.

Alongside its resorts, Shura Island will also host a limited collection of homes, with the first properties expected to be handed over in late 2025.

Shura Links, the 18-hole golf course opening this month, has been designed with sustainability in mind, using eco-friendly water and landscaping systems.

RSG said its wider projects across The Red Sea and AMAALA are expected to create 120,000 jobs, supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals of economic diversification and sustainable development.