The UAE banking sector is setting a global benchmark in digital banking security, leveraging artificial intelligence, big data, and advanced analytics to protect customers and enhance service delivery.
The move reflects a broader push towards digital transformation and proactive cyber defense.
Cybersecurity experts said that UAE banks are combining cutting-edge technology with robust protection measures to counter evolving cyber threats. Investments in AI-powered monitoring tools, multi-factor authentication, and biometric verification are enabling banks to detect suspicious activity in real time and prevent financial fraud.
Richard Cassidy, Chief Information Security Officer at Rubrik, highlighted that AI and big data are now central to banks’ digital security strategies.
“These technologies allow defensive systems to continuously learn from past incidents, becoming smarter and more adaptive over time,”
he said.
Zeid Shubailat, Director at Infobip, noted that the rapid adoption of online banking, mobile-first services, and instant payments has accelerated the need for sophisticated fraud detection systems. UAE banks are now deploying intelligence-driven tools that analyse device identity, login patterns, and transaction behavior to identify anomalies within fractions of a second.
Regulatory frameworks have further encouraged the sector to move away from traditional authentication methods such as SMS codes toward app-based solutions and biometric verification. Behavioral biometrics, unified alerts, and interactive customer experiences are expected to shape the next phase of fraud prevention.
Since 2017, the UAE Banks Federation has facilitated the “Tasharuk” initiative, a cyber threat intelligence sharing platform that allows banks to exchange insights on cyber-attacks and strengthen collective defenses. Experts say this collaborative approach, combined with customer awareness campaigns and emergency response planning, ensures the UAE banking sector remains resilient and innovative amid rising global cyber threats.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
