Abu Dhabi: A report by the official government website Digital UAE has warned mobile phone users against falling prey to fraudsters’ threats with greater awareness about how their devices can be hacked.
According to Digital UAE, there are four signs that indicate that a smartphone user may have fallen victim to electronic fraud. The signs include:
- An abnormal rate at which the phone battery is being consumed and drained.
- General slowness of the smart device.
- Phone performing automatic tasks without any activation by the user, such as sending text messages to contacts, or downloading additional applications.
- Device overheating without using applications that consume the device’s resources.
Digital UAE warned in a report that in the event of being exposed to electronic fraud, the user should not submit to any threat or make any concessions to the fraudster, and he or she should also report the matter to the authorities immediately through official channels.
Guidelines for users
It advised individuals to follow a set of guidelines to protect themselves from the risks of electronic fraud, such as avoiding publishing private contact information on dubious platforms or websites, not clicking on any link received via any text message, and refraining from downloading or uploading any applications from unknown sources.
The statement said that users should be careful to keep a back-up copy of personal data, update the smartphone operating system regularly, and follow security alerts issued by phone manufacturers.
‘Cyber Pulse’
It stressed the importance of the ‘Cyber Pulse’ initiative, launched by the Cyber Security Council in cooperation with its strategic partners. It is a comprehensive national initiative that aims to spread the culture of cybersecurity, raise awareness of any suspicious electronic activities that may harm users, and enable them to use the achievements of digital technology in a safe environment.
The initiative includes a range of events and activities, including training courses, workshops and lectures in the field of cybersecurity and how to confront cyber attacks. The first phase of the initiative targeted women and families, while the second phase included college and university students in the country.
FedNet
Digital UAE also noted the country is taking many measures to enhance its cybersecurity, including implementing a federal electronic network (FedNet) that allows data exchange between all local and federal entities in the country by using a unified and secure technological infrastructure.
The network provides a multi-layered security environment that ensures the highest levels of security in the infrastructure based on Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), and enables a secure connection to the internet for all federal government entities via a dual internet service provider, which allows for higher productivity. This service also provides a unified connection to the Internet in federal entities, which reduces the possibility of exposure to intruder attacks by reducing vulnerabilities.
The Federal Network team is responsible for monitoring and controlling the events and developments of the Federal Network infrastructure around the clock, ensuring that the necessary measures are taken in the event of errors or violations, regardless of their level.
The team pointed out that the National Cybersecurity Strategy aims to create a safe and secure cyber environment that helps enable individuals to achieve their ambitions and enables companies to develop and grow in a safe and prosperous environment.
The updated version of the strategy was launched in 2019 by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), the entity concerned with the communications and information technology sector, and responsible for the electronic and smart transformation in the country.
The strategy aims to support cybersecurity standards through various mechanisms and axes, while stimulating the creation of local start-up companies in the sector, and developing the cybersecurity environment.
The National Cybersecurity Strategy was developed based on an analysis of more than 50 sources of global indicators and publications, working with a team of global experts, and conducting a benchmarking comparison with 10 leading countries in the field of cybersecurity systems.
