Dubai: Security experts see a surge in hackers taking the internet site down by bombarding it with traffic to choke the line, also known as distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, as the region migrates towards cloud computing and warn that it could threaten their infrastructures if necessary precautions are not implemented.
Studies show that the number of DDoS attacks multiplied to more than 120 million cases last year compared to 1.6 million attacks in 2011, representing a growth of 7,400 per cent in just one year.
“Not only are the number of cyber attacks growing aggressively, they are also growing in sophistication. For example, cyber criminals can now easily buy or rent ‘exploit kits’ on the black market that pinpoint a business’s cyber vulnerabilities so that they can then spread malware,” Kevin Mitnick, the hacker turned international cyber security consultant, said in a statement.
However, he said that humans are often the weakest link in any corporate security system, which is why it is essential that companies spend more resources inoculating their employees by performing simulated attacks and training their employees on how to resist such intrusions.
To tackle these issues, around 87 companies from 18 countries are taking part in the first Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference taking place from June 3-5 at Dubai World Trade Centre.
The event will focus on the latest solutions in cyber security, the latest information security trends and cyber security legislation in the Middle East.
User data
A study by Trend Micro shows that cybercriminals are expected to continue generating even more profit by selling stolen user data as mobile payments are predicted to reach $1.3 trillion (Dh4.7 trillion) annually by 2017.
“In 2013, IT managers in the region will have to deal with the highest level of targeted attacks the region has ever witnessed. Today’s attacks are financially motivated, and we are here to help our customers better protect themselves,” said Ihab Moawad, Vice-President for Trend Micro Middle East, Africa and Mediterranean.
He said that cybercriminals favour web threats since they only require the internet to facilitate their schemes. This makes web browsing risky since web threats can infect your computer or network, sometimes even without your intervention. For several years, web threats have plagued internet users, posing several risks such as identity theft, data loss, and financial damage.
According to research firm IDC, the Middle East and Africa (MEA) security appliances market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 9.6 per cent over the next four years to total approximately $350 million in revenues.
“Companies will continue to invest in IT security over the coming years in the region and will be driven by the growing complexity and frequency of cyber threats in the region and the requirement to install security systems for regulatory compliance reasons,” said Faysal Ayoubi, systems and infrastructure solutions research analyst at IDC.
Major challenge
New digital technologies like social media, smartphone, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and analytics are radically changing the economic landscape, but at the same time posing a major challenge to chief information officers.
“Enterprise mobility is changing the way employees access corporate information and, with BYOD taking hold, continues to challenge businesses’ IT security specialists,” said Ian Evans, managing director for EMEA at AirWatch.
“Keeping mobile devices and the corporate networks and data they access secure, is critical. We consider this event to raise awareness of how businesses can benefit from enterprise mobility, and keep corporate data protected.”