UAE Thwarts Cyber Attacks Targeting Government Sites

The UAE’s Telecommunications Authority (TRA) said it had successfully “thwarted attempts” by cyber-hackers to damage some government electronic sites.

The attacks reportedly originated from Egypt, reported official news agency WAM.

The TRA said that its Computer Emergency Response Team (aeCERT) “neutralised the danger and repaired the limited damage caused by the attack.”

The report quoted Mohammed Nasser Al Ghanim, TRA director general, as saying that the authority had already been working on protecting the targeted sites and tracing the source of danger.

Officials have also contacted the relevant Egyptian authorities to coordinate efforts between the two countries.

“We agreed to provide the Egyptian authorities with a list of IP addresses from which the cyber-infiltration attempts originated,” Al Ghanim said, adding that he hoped measures would be taken to stop further attacks and to identify the perpetrators.

Cyber crime has become a major source of concern for governments and corporates worldwide.

In mid-April 2012, a series of cyber- attacks destroyed computer systems at several oil platforms in the Middle East. The malware responsible for the attacks, named ‘Wiper’, was never found.

Late last year, security company Symantec predicted a “steady rise” in targeted attacks towards governments, companies and individuals in the UAE for financial and political reasons.