The UAE Cyber Security Council has revealed that nearly 98 percent of cyberattacks rely on exploiting human error through social engineering rather than targeting technical flaws.
The warning was issued during the sixth week of the Council’s Cyber Pulse initiative, a yearlong awareness campaign aimed at strengthening digital literacy and resilience among individuals and institutions.
Attackers often pose as officials, friends, or trusted organizations to trick victims into sharing sensitive information or taking harmful actions. Tactics include fake rewards, impersonation of credible entities, urgent threats, and overwhelming messages designed to confuse and pressure targets.
These schemes rely on emotional triggers such as fear, urgency, or empathy to push victims into making quick decisions. The end goal is typically to access banking details, personal data, or other confidential information.
The Council urged the public to stay alert by verifying identities, avoiding the sharing of personal or financial details, and treating sudden messages that demand immediate action with caution. It also stressed the importance of following official cybersecurity alerts and updates.
Now in its second year, the Cyber Pulse campaign is part of the UAE’s national effort to protect users from evolving cyber risks and to strengthen trust in the country’s digital ecosystem.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
