“Report highlights cybersecurity challenges in the Middle East”, 19 March 2025

State-sponsored cyber threats, including Advanced Persistent Attacks (APTs) and Hacktivism surged in the Middle East in 2024, with GCC countries emerging as primary targets…

...Released recently, Group-IB’s High-Tech Crime Trends Report 2025 provides a comprehensive analysis on the interconnectivity of cybercrime, and the evolving cyber threat landscape in the Middle East and Africa region. The report offers valuable intelligence on advanced persistent threats, hacktivism, and emerging cyber threats, empowering businesses, cybersecurity professionals, and law enforcement in the Middle East with the insights needed to enhance their cybersecurity strategies.

The report said that though APTs in the region saw a 4.27 per cent increase compared to a 58 per cent surge globally, 27.5 per cent of these threats from state-backed espionage groups were actively targeted at GCC countries.

...While GCC countries were the most targeted due to their strategic economic and political importance, other significant targets included Egypt (13.2%) and Turkey (9.9%), reflecting their geopolitical roles, while countries like Jordan (7.7%), Iraq (6.6%), as well as Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, and Ethiopia also face growing cyber threats.

...According to the report, the primary industries affected included government and military sectors (22.1%), financial services (10.9%), education (8%), and media and entertainment (5.2%) sectors were also targeted, with attacks aimed at disrupting critical infrastructure and essential services. This uptick is driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions, where cyberattacks are used for ideological expression or political retaliation.

...The report also shed light on other pressing cybersecurity challenges including the persistent threat of phishing and data breaches across the GCC and the wider MEA region.

…Dark web economy: Stolen credentials and sensitive corporate data sold on the dark web served as critical entry points for ransomware operators, state-sponsored attackers, and other cybercriminals.