Iran-linked actors using ChatGPT for cyber ops

The UAE is facing between 500,000 and 700,000 daily cyberattacks, with hostile actors, including Iran using AI tools such as ChatGPT to support reconnaissance, vulnerability detection, phishing campaigns, and malware creation, according to Cyber Security Council Chairman Dr Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, Gulf News reports.

He said AI has become a core component of modern cyber warfare, enabling attackers to conduct faster, more convincing, and lower-cost operations, including deepfakes and disinformation campaigns. Despite the surge in attacks following regional tensions, the UAEs national cyber defense systems are detecting and containing most threats proactively through a zero-trust security model, the National Cyber Security Operations Centre, advanced threat intelligence systems, and nationwide cyber crisis simulation exercises.

Al Kuwaiti urged the public to remain vigilant as the first line of defense, advising against clicking unknown links, enabling multi-factor authentication, and avoiding unsecured public Wi-Fi. He also warned against sharing unverified content, especially during heightened tensions, saying misinformation and manipulated media are increasingly used in cyber and information warfare.