Insight and opinion from The National’s editorial leadership
May 04, 2022
In 2013, Israeli authorities launched the Digital Israel project, aimed at dramatically expanding the country’s fibre-optic network and making all government interactions paperless. At the time, US security cyber-security expert Paul de Souza warned that, unless extreme precautions were taken, doing so could result in Israel being not only the world’s most digitalised nation, but the most hacked one, too. “You can’t compromise national security just because you want the country to be extremely innovative,” Mr de Souza told Bloomberg.
By 2020, Digital Israel had mixed success – most government services had been digitised, but less than 50 per cent of the country was connected to fibre-optic, well short of the original goal of 70 per cent. Worse still, Mr de Souza’s fears had come true: a study by US-based F5 Labs found Israel to be the most targeted country for cyber attacks on the planet.
The threats against it are only growing, as Israelis found on March 14, when a huge cyber attack on the country rendered them unable to access any government websites for more than an hour. The situation spurred Israel’s National Cyber Directorate (NCD) to declare a state of emergency in order to study the extent of the damage.
Israel is the most targeted country for cyber attacks on the planet
F5 Labs
To make the country more resilient to such threats, on Monday the NCD and Israel’s Communications Ministry ordered Israeli communications firms to formulate plans to step up their cyber-security systems. The goal, as Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel described it, is to “create a kind of ‘Iron Dome’ from cyber-security attacks”. The Iron Dome is Israel’s advanced system for defending its cities from rocket attacks launched by militant groups from adjacent territories.
As with rocket attacks by extremists, however, cyber-attacks are not limited to one part of the Middle East. The region saw 161 million malware attacks in the first half of 2021. They are often intended to undo political progress, too. The UAE’s cyber-security chief, Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, for instance, noted that the Emirates was targeted by a spate of cyber-attacks after it signed the historic Abraham Accords.
As with conventional defence, however, the best way to respond to cyber threats is through even stronger co-operation. In recent years, countries have collaborated to build a more robust, regional resilience to hacking. At the Dubai Expo, for example, the NCD partnered with the UAE’s Cybersecurity Council to conduct an unprecedented international drill, involving seven countries, to simulate an attack on the aviation sector.
Steps like these will be critical to making cyber security part of the regional agenda. The Middle East is the fastest-growing region in the world when it comes to internet adoption, with over 98 per cent of the GCC’s population already connected. While the opportunities offered by this expansion in internet users are significant, the threats will continue to grow alongside them, and they, like the internet itself, will transcend most national borders. Securing the cyber landscape and ensuring that there need not be a trade-off between extreme innovation and national security, as Mr de Souza put it, will depend on countries working together, in addition to bolstering their domestic defences.
Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title
Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
Results
4pm: Maiden (Dirt) Dh165,000 1,600m Winner: Moshaher, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
Name: Thndr Started: 2019 Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr Sector: FinTech Headquarters: Egypt UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi Current number of staff: More than 150 Funds raised: $22 million
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Daniella Weiss and Nachala Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
