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UAE firms warned of rising AI deepfake scams as cyber threats evolve
Experts say attackers are using artificial intelligence to launch faster, more convincing phishing campaigns, impersonation fraud and same-day cyber breaches
- PUBLISHED: Wed 15 Apr 2026, 5:24 PM
UAE businesses are being warned to prepare for a new generation of cyber threats powered by artificial intelligence (AI), as attackers increasingly use deepfake impersonation, highly personalised phishing scams and automated tools that can breach systems within hours and in some cases, minutes.
Companies in the UAE are facing rapidly evolving cyber threats as criminals turn to artificial intelligence to make attacks faster, more targeted, and harder to detect. Rob Standing, Regional Vice President, Middle East at cybersecurity company Rubrik, said AI is increasingly being used to create highly convincing scams, automate attacks and exploit businesses before security teams can respond.
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“The most common AI-enabled methods are highly personalised phishing, deepfake-style impersonation, automated reconnaissance, and ransomware campaigns that can adapt faster than a human operator,” he said. These attacks can include fake emails, cloned voices, manipulated videos and fraudulent messages designed to trick employees into sharing credentials, transferring funds or granting access to internal systems.
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Breach window shrinking
He warned that businesses are no longer dealing only with slow-moving cyber intrusions that unfold over days or weeks. “AI reduces the attack window from days to hours, and in some cases, minutes." He added that many organisations now face same-day compromises, where attackers can infiltrate systems and act before a company fully realises what has happened.
Cybersecurity specialists say AI tools can automate tasks such as reconnaissance, password attacks and phishing at scale, allowing threat actors to target multiple organisations simultaneously.
UAE cyber framework remains strong
Despite growing threats, Standing said the UAE has built one of the region’s more advanced cybersecurity systems.
“The UAE has made incredible progress, and the national model is strong, especially with the 2025 to 2031 strategy and a highly effective centralised monitoring framework,” he said.
Public figures previously cited by the UAE Cybersecurity Council showed that the country continues to block large volumes of attempted attacks each day, reflecting both the scale of threats and the country's active national monitoring efforts.
Government, banking and real estate among targets
Among sectors facing the highest share of cyber threats in the UAE this year were government administration, financial services and banking, and real estate, according to figures cited in the interview.
Across the wider GCC, sectors considered most exposed continue to include government, finance, energy, healthcare and logistics.
Recovery now as important as prevention
Standing said companies need to focus not only on preventing attacks, but on how quickly they can recover when one succeeds.
He urged organisations to strengthen backup systems, automate recovery processes and set clear recovery targets to reduce disruption.
Rubrik research found that 74 per cent of organisations hit by ransomware said their backup and recovery systems were partially compromised, while 35 per cent said they were completely compromised.
“The cost conversation now extends beyond ransom payments to reputational damage, which can last longer after an attack is over,” he said.
What businesses should do now
Experts recommend firms train staff to identify phishing and impersonation attempts, tighten access controls, secure machine identities and regularly test recovery plans.
With AI adoption accelerating across industries, cybersecurity professionals say businesses that move fastest to strengthen resilience will be best placed to deal with the next wave of threats.
