Simon Isgar and Bernadette Pinto of Kennedys write, in part:
The Saudi Aramco attack of 2012 has been described3 as the first ‘hackavist-style’ assault to use malware. The attack managed to destroy 30,000 computers within the Aramco network, which were believed by security researchers to have been infected with the Shamoon malware.
The consequences faced by organisations who experience a cyber attack or a data breach can be significant. They include financial loss, regulatory investigations, reputational damage, and loss of customers to name a few. It is estimated that cybercrime costs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) alone reached AED 5 billion in 2016.4
Some countries in the Middle East have taken steps to counter cyber risks and attacks by implementing laws that, in the first instance, criminalise the acts. For example, UAE Federal Decree – Law No 5 of 2012 on Combating Cybercrimes introduces a wide range of offences and penalties.
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