ABU DHABI // Experts warn that the WannaCry virus, which has hit more than 200,000 people in 150 countries, will strike here – and probably already has.
There has yet to be a case reported, partly because monitoring the scale of the attack is close to impossible, and because it hit on a Friday when businesses and government departments were closed.
“We haven’t seen reports of it in Dubai yet because people are just coming into work at the beginning of the week, but the country isn’t insulated from these attacks,” said Amir Kolahzadeh, chief executive and founder of internet security company IT Sec.
“Today and over this week people will begin to report the attacks.
“To the unsuspecting user it’s just a file or an event that happens all of a sudden. Next thing you know you’re another victim.”
Some people are embarrassed to report that they have been attacked or afraid that they might be implicated in it, Mr Kolahzadeh said.
The ransomware virus automatically encrypts users’ files on infected computers using older Windows software and demands a fee to decipher the data being held hostage.
To add further pressure the virus puts a time on the demand, automatically doubling the fee within three hours, and ultimately deleting the encrypted files within six hours.
“They are indiscriminate without regard to a certain person, group or affiliation,” Mr Kolahzadeh said.
The attack is being described as the biggest yet, targeting networks so entire companies or groups are hit at the same time.
Suhail Sukkary, an IT specialist and cyber crime expert at Abu Dhabi Education Council, said that the virus could present in many ways.
“It can even show up on WhatsApp,” Mr Sukkary said.
“People need to understand that there is no way to eliminate viruses from the world but they can do things to make sure they aren’t a victim.”
He suggested people avoid opening any files for the next few days, particularly as the virus spreads exponentially with each infected device.
Mr Kolahzadeh thinks that even with increasing global cooperation and strict penalties, hackers will always regard the risk as minimal when considering the scale of the rewards, which can often be millions of dollars a day.
“If someone is willing to perpetrate such a crime the severity of the punishment is the last thing he thinks of,” he said.
Mr Kolahzadeh called for even greater international cooperation to investigate of the attack but said it would not be the last large-scale attack of its kind.
“It’s like an arms race, it’s never going to stop,” he said.
“It will only get worse; the threat is only growing. Imagine in a some years’ time when flying cars are a thing and you’re driving around in a driverless Uber when an attack like this happens. What then?”
UAE cyber security company DarkMatter said that “while countries like the UK and Russia seem to be the hardest hit, there have been reports of the malware appearing on computers in the GCC as well”.
“This attack highlights just how critical it is for organisations to have a holistic approach to cyber security, including staying on top of security patches, threat intelligence, incident response and rock solid back-ups of all data,: he said. “Cyber threats are constantly evolving and without a defined strategy, your organisation is vulnerable.”
nalwasmi@thenational.ae
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Quick%20facts
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EStorstockholms%20Lokaltrafik%20(SL)%20offers%20free%20guided%20tours%20of%20art%20in%20the%20metro%20and%20at%20the%20stations%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20tours%20are%20free%20of%20charge%3B%20all%20you%20need%20is%20a%20valid%20SL%20ticket%2C%20for%20which%20a%20single%20journey%20(valid%20for%2075%20minutes)%20costs%2039%20Swedish%20krone%20(%243.75)%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETravel%20cards%20for%20unlimited%20journeys%20are%20priced%20at%20165%20Swedish%20krone%20for%2024%20hours%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAvoid%20rush%20hour%20%E2%80%93%20between%209.30%20am%20and%204.30%20pm%20%E2%80%93%20to%20explore%20the%20artwork%20at%20leisure%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now