Hefty penalties and jail for hacking information systems of government institutions in UAE

Dubai: The UAE Public Prosecution has warned the public against hacking the information systems of government institutions.

In an awareness-raising video shared on its social media accounts, the Public Prosecution clarified the penalty of committing this crime.

According to article 3 of the UAE Federal Law by Decree No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes, whoever hacks a website, cyber-information system, information network, or a means of information technology belonging to UAE institutions shall be sentenced to temporary imprisonment and a fine of not less than Dh200,000 and not more than Dh500,000.

If the hacking results in damage, interruption, or faultiness of a website, a cyber-information system, an information network, or a means of information technology, or the cancellation, deletion, destruction, divulgence, damage, change, copying, publication, or republication of any data or information, the penalty shall be imprisonment for no less than five years and a fine of no less than Dh250,000 and no more than Dh1,500,000.

The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for a period of no less than seven (7) years and a fine of no less than Dh250,000 and no more than Dh1,500,000, if the hacking was committed for the purpose of acquiring data or information from such authorities as stated in Item 1 of this article.

The video comes as part of the Public Prosecution’s ongoing efforts to promote legal awareness among community members and raise public understanding of the nation’s legislation.