Many Saudi Arabian organisations are overwhelmed by rising cyber threats and government mandates, leading them to seek outside help for improved cybersecurity.

Date published : 2024/10/29 23:20

The cybersecurity landscape in Saudi Arabia is becoming increasingly challenging due to rising threats from politically motivated cybercriminals and a growing number of government mandates.

These attacks often target critical industries such as oil and gas, energy, and finance, which are vital to the kingdom's economy. Adversaries use these attacks to gain access to confidential information and disrupt operations at a national level.

The global cybersecurity outlook 2022 highlights ransomware, social engineering, and malicious insider attacks as the top concerns for cybersecurity professionals worldwide. Ransomware is particularly concerning due to its rapid growth and the emergence of ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS), which enables hackers to easily launch attacks with a triple extortion approach.

The majority of cyberattacks in Saudi Arabia are related to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, which aim to create a nuisance for organizations or the country. Some attacks focus on penetrating defenses for espionage purposes, often impacting non-targeted entities in the process.

Saudi Arabia's accelerating dependence on digital technology has introduced increased cyber and operational risks by expanding its attack surface. The country's Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy through innovation has created new opportunities but also exposed it to more cyber threats.