UAE warns inactive accounts now a major cybersecurity threat

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Cybersecurity Council has warned that the growing dependence on digital services is leaving behind a silent but significant vulnerability: inactive user accounts.

According to new data released this week, nearly 30 percent of electronic accounts across platforms remain unused for long periods while still storing personal information and retaining access permissions, factors that make them easy targets for cyber-attacks.

The council noted that many users experiment with new apps briefly before abandoning them, unaware that the accounts created during those trials remain active, often protected by weak passwords or outdated personal data.

These dormant accounts later generate unexplained login attempts or suspicious alerts that catch users by surprise.

The advisory categorizes inactive accounts into three types. Dormant accounts are those unused for 30 to 90 days but still tied to active users.

Stagnant accounts remain untouched for more than six months, typically due to job changes, the end of a project, or discontinued use of secondary tools.

The most dangerous category, abandoned accounts, persists even after an employee leaves an organization, often retaining legacy privileges that can be exploited if left unmanaged.

The council urged users to routinely review and delete accounts they no longer need, periodically update passwords, and enable two-factor authentication on active services. It emphasized that older accounts, whether dormant, stagnant, or abandoned, pose a serious risk to digital identity if left unmanaged.