UAE urges firms to strengthen cyber defence, says last year details of a retail chain was hacked

The UAE Cyber Security Council underlined the importance of strengthening cyber defences in light of the risks posed by crimes in the digital landscape nowadays.

Cyber security incidents pose significant threats to businesses and individuals around the world, it added, noting that a major retail chain in the country suffered a major data breach in July 2024 where the personal information of more than 200,000 customers including names, addresses, and purchase records were exposed.

The council stated on its social media pages that cybercriminals exploited security vulnerabilities in the retail chain’s online shopping platform to gain unauthorised access to its customer database.

The council explained that cyber attacks pose a growing threat to the UAE's business community, stressing the need to take stringent measures to protect corporate data and strengthen cybersecurity defences.

This should be done by prioritising the implementation of encryption protocols, training employees in cybersecurity and developing plans to respond to cyber incidents, it said.

Enhancing security measures has become an urgent necessity in light of the increasing cyber attacks on online platforms with a view to protecting personal data and ensuring customer confidence in the digital environment.