UAE Cyber Security Council Warns Public Wi‑Fi Breaches Surge, Fueling Nearly 35% of This Year’s Attacks

A rising wave of cyber threats tied to open public Wi‑Fi networks is prompting urgent caution across the UAE, as officials report thousands of breaches linked to unsecured connections this year. The UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC) has warned that open networks used in cafes, airports, shopping centers, and other public spaces pose significant risks to personal data, banking details, and corporate information. With more than 12,000 breaches recorded since the start of the year, these incidents now comprise about a third of all cyberattacks reported in the UAE during the period, highlighting vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers to steal credentials and sensitive information. The warning reinforces the need for careful connection practices and stronger digital hygiene among individuals and institutions alike as UAE authorities pursue a comprehensive approach to cyber resilience. The CSC underscored the importance of taking precautions when using free or untrusted Wi‑Fi networks and urged the public to adopt practical safety measures, including multi-factor authentication, trusted security tools, and reliable virtual private network (VPN) applications. Dr. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, who leads cyber security for the UAE government within the CSC, told state media that under the directives of the country’s leadership, the council is intensifying efforts to create a secure cyber environment, bolster trust in the digital ecosystem, and raise awareness about safe digital practices. This article delves into the CSC warning, the three-step safety framework it advocates, the broader threat landscape associated with public Wi‑Fi, the Cyber Pulse awareness campaign, and the strategic context driving these initiatives as part of a national push to strengthen cyber resilience across institutions and individuals.

Comprehensive context: the scope and significance of open Wi‑Fi risks in the UAE

The CSC’s warning centers on a disturbing trend: the rapid proliferation of open public Wi‑Fi networks that lack robust authentication, encryption, and monitoring. In today’s digital economy, a growing number of people rely on free or poorly secured networks when they are away from home or the office. While such networks offer convenience, they also create an ecosystem in which attackers can operate with relative ease. The CSC’s data indicate that breaches associated with open Wi‑Fi have surged to more than 12,000 this year, a staggering figure that speaks to the scale of exposure faced by everyday internet users. This level of incidents, representing approximately 35 percent of all reported cyberattacks in the UAE for the year so far, underscores a critical vulnerability in the digital landscape. The implications extend far beyond individual privacy: when attackers access credentials, banking information, or personal data, there can be cascading consequences for financial security, organizational operations, and national digital infrastructure. The CSC’s analysis points to a broader reality in which unsecured networks can act as gateways for a variety of cyber threats, ranging from identity theft to more sophisticated intrusion campaigns that exploit weak endpoints and unencrypted traffic. The risk profile is especially pronounced in high-traffic public spaces such as cafes, airports, and shopping centers, where Wi‑Fi access is often bundled with other conveniences and where users may be less vigilant about security due to the sense of immediacy and convenience. The council emphasizes that the problem is not merely theoretical; it is practical, current, and pervasive. The data illuminate the urgency of adopting protective behaviors that reduce exposure without compromising the benefits of digital connectivity in daily life. The CSC’s acknowledgement of the breadth of these incidents signals a pivotal moment for cyber hygiene in the UAE, with implications for individuals, consumer behaviors, businesses, and public institutions alike. This pervasive risk environment necessitates a robust combination of user vigilance, technical safeguards, and coordinated public-private action to reduce the likelihood and impact of breaches linked to public Wi‑Fi.

The council’s warnings also highlight a critical public safety function: educating users about the specific threats associated with unsecured networks and providing clear, actionable steps to mitigate risk. By naming the types of attacks that commonly accompany open networks—such as man‑in‑the‑middle (MITM) intrusions, redirection to fraudulent sites, and covert installations of spyware or malware—the CSC aims to equip people with a mental model of how these threats operate. This awareness is a foundation for practical defense, because knowing that a public network can be manipulated without the user’s knowledge is a prerequisite for choosing safer connection practices and for recognizing suspicious activity. In addition, the CSC’s emphasis on three practical steps, which constitute a structured safety framework, provides a straightforward pathway for individuals to adopt stronger online defenses without needing specialized expertise. The broader implication of these findings is that cyber resilience cannot be achieved by isolated measures alone; it requires a concerted, layered approach that includes secure network engineering, user-centric education, and reinforced authentication mechanisms across the digital ecosystem. The UAE’s leadership has signaled that such a layered approach is central to maintaining confidence in digital services, safeguarding personal data, and ensuring that public confidence in the online environment remains high as digital life becomes increasingly integrated into everyday activities. The scope of the problem, as presented by the CSC, makes a compelling case for both immediate protective actions and longer-term structural improvements in how public Wi‑Fi is provisioned, secured, and monitored across sectors and public spaces.

Because the open Wi‑Fi landscape is dynamic and continuously evolving, the CSC’s findings also function as a barometer for emerging threats and defensive technology trends. They underscore the need for ongoing updates to security policies, routine user education, and the deployment of security technologies that can adapt to new attack vectors. As cyber threats become more sophisticated and as the reliance on wireless access points grows, it becomes essential to maintain a vigilant posture that combines personal responsibility with enterprise-grade protections. The council’s message is clear: while the convenience of free public Wi‑Fi is undeniable, the potential costs in terms of data compromise and financial loss are significant enough to warrant careful risk management. The upshot is a mandate for a more proactive security culture—one in which digital service providers, employers, educators, and individual users share responsibility for creating safer online experiences. In this context, the CSC’s warning is not merely a caution; it is a call to action to implement practical safeguards, reinforce secure practices, and cultivate a resilient cyber ecosystem that supports safe digital engagement for all UAE residents and visitors.

Three-step framework: practical safety guidance from the CSC

In response to the rising threat landscape, the UAE Cyber Security Council has outlined three core recommendations designed to help users protect themselves while staying connected to the internet. These steps form a concise, actionable framework that individuals can apply in everyday situations, especially when using free or public Wi‑Fi networks in busy public venues. The three-step framework is purposefully straightforward to ensure broad applicability across age groups, levels of digital literacy, and varying degrees of technical proficiency. The first step centers on encryption: using a trusted VPN to encrypt digital connections ensures that data transmitted between the user’s device and the network is encapsulated, making it far more difficult for intruders on the same network to intercept or decipher information. A virtual private network creates a secure tunnel for online activity, reducing exposure to eavesdropping, credential theft, and packet sniffing that can occur on unsecured networks. The second step focuses on browser-based risk reduction: enabling “safe browsing” features within web browsers helps to filter out malicious sites, block known phishing domains, warn users about potentially dangerous downloads, and enforce stricter security checks when navigating online. Safe browsing can also include features that enforce stricter sandboxing for plugins, reduce cross-site scripting risks, and provide clearer indicators of web safety to users who may not be security experts. The third step emphasizes cautious authentication practices: avoiding the login to sensitive accounts—such as banking portals and personal email—over public Wi‑Fi networks is a prudent practice. This guideline recognizes that financial transactions and communications involving private data are among the most valuable targets for attackers on unsecured networks, where session hijacking and credential theft can occur more readily. Instead of conducting these high-risk activities on public networks, users should opt for more secure connections or perform such actions only within trusted networks or via offline channels when possible. The CSC’s three-step guidance integrates into a broader security ethos that prioritizes encryption, proactive threat filtering, and prudent access control as foundational elements of safe online behavior in public spaces. In practice, these steps can be implemented with relative ease: a user can install a reputable VPN service, configure their browser to enable safe browsing modes, and plan banking or sensitive communications to occur when a secure, trusted network is available. The framework is designed to be adaptable, allowing individuals to incorporate additional protective measures in line with their risk tolerance and personal circumstances. By adopting these three steps, internet users can significantly reduce their exposure to common threats associated with open Wi‑Fi, while still benefiting from the convenience and connectivity that public networks offer.

The CSC stresses that while no single measure can eliminate risk completely, the combination of VPN encryption, safe browsing configurations, and careful handling of sensitive logins creates a layered defense that substantially raises the barrier for attackers. This approach aligns with best practices in cybersecurity, which advocate for multi-layered protection rather than relying on any one protective control. The recommended steps also support a culture of continuous risk assessment, where users remain mindful of the networks they join, the data they transmit, and the potential indicators of compromise they encounter. In addition to these core steps, the CSC encourages integrating additional safety habits: keeping devices updated with the latest security patches, using strong and unique passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) across critical accounts, and staying informed about evolving threats. The three-step framework functions as a practical, easy-to-remember baseline for the public to reduce exposure while retaining the ability to access useful online services in public settings. As technology and social behavior continue to intersect with everyday life, the CSC’s guidance serves as a durable reference point for individuals seeking to maintain digital security without sacrificing essential connectivity.

The CSC’s three-step approach also complements broader strategic objectives, including strengthening the nation’s cyber resilience and elevating digital hygiene across both institutions and individuals. By promoting a consistent, repeatable set of protective behaviors, the council helps create predictable security expectations for internet users and organizations alike. The approach also supports the deployment of safer public Wi‑Fi ecosystems, where operators and service providers can emphasize secure configurations, network awareness, and user education as standard practice. In essence, the three-step framework is not only a defensive guide for individuals; it is a building block for an entire digital culture that values privacy, security, and informed digital citizenship. As more users rely on public networks for everyday activities—ranging from casual browsing to professional communications—the uptake of these practices becomes increasingly important for reducing risk at scale. The CSC’s emphasis on encryption, safe browsing, and prudent authentication reflects a pragmatic, user-focused strategy designed to yield tangible risk reductions in real-world scenarios, while also encouraging broader societal uptake of cyber hygiene principles that can mitigate harm across the UAE’s digital landscape.

Threat landscape: how unsecured Wi‑Fi facilitates cyber threats

Open and unsecured Wi‑Fi networks present fertile ground for a spectrum of cyber threats, and the CSC highlights several categories of risk that are particularly relevant in public settings. One of the most common attack vectors is the man‑in‑the‑middle (MITM) attack, in which a malicious actor positions themselves between a user’s device and the intended destination on the network. In MITM scenarios, attackers may intercept unencrypted data, capture login credentials, and harvest sensitive information such as payment details, personal identifiers, and corporate data. This mode of breach can be silent and gradual, making it difficult for users to recognize that their traffic is being secretly monitored or altered. Another notable risk is redirection to fraudulent or counterfeit sites, where attackers employ phishing tactics or DNS manipulation to mislead users into entering credentials on fake portals or to download malware disguised as legitimate software or updates. Such redirections can occur when a user clicks a link or types a URL while connected to a compromised network, with attackers exerting control over the network’s traffic flow. The installation of spyware or malware without user awareness is another significant threat; malicious software can be deployed through drive-by downloads, compromised software updates, or seemingly legitimate apps and plugins. Once installed, spyware can exfiltrate data, monitor keystrokes, capture screenshots, or provide remote access to attackers. The CSC’s warning implies that these threats are not theoretical anomalies but real, present dangers that can materialize quickly in everyday encounters with free public Wi‑Fi. The combination of weak network protections, lax user behavior, and the ubiquity of shared networks creates a high-risk environment that demands proactive defense measures. By articulating these threat categories, the CSC aims to raise awareness of the specific mechanics through which cybercriminals exploit public networks, enabling users to spot suspicious patterns, adopt safer practices, and respond effectively if they suspect compromise. The overarching message is that open Wi‑Fi is convenient but inherently risky, and the protection of personal and organizational data requires a disciplined approach to how, where, and when individuals connect to public networks and how they manage their digital sessions.

Public spaces that rely on free Wi‑Fi—such as cafés, airports, and shopping centers—often present complex security trade-offs. On the one hand, these venues provide essential connectivity for travelers, remote workers, and casual users. On the other hand, the same environments can be exploited by attackers who gain access to network traffic or traffic redirects for financial gain or information theft. This dynamic creates several practical challenges: users may be tempted by the immediacy of free access and may neglect to verify the legitimacy of the network or to implement protective measures consistently. The CSC’s emphasis on VPN usage, safe browsing, and cautious login practices is designed to address these challenges by reducing the likelihood that sensitive data is exposed during a session, even if the user encounters a compromised network. It is important to understand that the risk is not limited to the initial connection; it can persist across multiple online activities conducted while connected to public networks. For instance, if a user browses through a banking portal or emails while connected to an insecure network, the session can be hijacked or credentials captured, providing attackers with access to sensitive accounts. The layered approach recommended by the CSC, including encryption, threat filtering, and prudent authentication, is intended to disrupt the attack chain at several stages, thereby reducing the probability of successful intrusions and the magnitude of potential losses. This perspective aligns with a broader cybersecurity principle that emphasizes defense in depth: even if one control is bypassed, others can still limit the attacker’s ability to achieve their objectives. The CSC’s guidance is therefore not only about reducing risk in the moment but also about building a resilient framework that can withstand evolving threat dynamics as public Wi‑Fi usage continues to grow in the UAE.

In addition to individual user considerations, the CSC’s findings carry implications for organizations and service providers who operate or rely on public Wi‑Fi services. For employees who access corporate resources remotely, the security posture of public networks can affect the integrity of enterprise systems, requiring organizations to communicate clear policies about acceptable use, credential management, and remote access. Service providers that offer public Wi‑Fi also have a role to play in implementing stronger security controls, such as network segmentation, encrypted tunnels, robust authentication mechanisms, and real-time monitoring to detect anomalous activity. The combination of user education, corporate governance, and provider responsibility forms a comprehensive response to the threat landscape described by the CSC. The council’s emphasis on the pervasiveness of risks strengthens the case for continued investment in cyber hygiene programs, secure network infrastructure, and coordinated public awareness campaigns that can reach a broad audience across the UAE. As digital services continue to expand and as more people rely on wireless connectivity in everyday life, the need for robust defenses against open Wi‑Fi threats becomes all the more critical. The CSC’s analysis provides a clear, evidence-based rationale for these efforts, underlining the importance of practical steps that users can take today, alongside longer-term strategic investments in cybersecurity capabilities.

The Cyber Pulse campaign and national resilience efforts

The UAE Cyber Security Council’s awareness initiatives are not static; they include ongoing campaigns designed to elevate cyber hygiene and resilience across society. The Cyber Pulse awareness campaign has returned this year for its second edition, reinforcing a national priority to educate the public and institutions about safe digital practices. The campaign operates within a broader framework of national initiatives aimed at enhancing cyber resilience across multiple sectors, from government bodies to private enterprises and individual households. The goal is to create a culture in which safe cyber habits are embedded in daily routines, reducing susceptibility to common attack patterns associated with public Wi‑Fi and other digital risk factors. The campaign’s reappearance signals sustained political will and resource commitment to cybersecurity education, public awareness, and behavioral change. Through coordinated messaging, social outreach, and healthily skeptical user behavior, Cyber Pulse seeks to advance a shared understanding of cyber risks, practical defenses, and the importance of maintaining secure digital environments in both professional and personal contexts. This approach aligns with international best practices that stress the value of continuous education as part of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. The campaign’s presence in the UAE’s cyber resilience landscape underscores the role of public awareness as a foundational element in reducing breach likelihood and mitigating the impact of incidents when they occur. By sustaining these messages over time, authorities aim to normalize secure practices, enhance digital literacy, and foster trust in the national digital ecosystem. The result is a more resilient environment where people are better equipped to recognize threats, respond effectively, and maintain continuity of services even in the face of sophisticated cyber threats. The Cyber Pulse initiative thus represents a crucial facet of the UAE’s broader cyber resilience architecture, complementing technical controls and policy measures with education-driven capability development at scale. In this integrated model, awareness campaigns serve as a bridge between policy intent, organizational readiness, and everyday user behavior, ensuring that protective routines become second nature rather than exceptions.

Leadership commitment and strategic vision for a secure digital ecosystem

In describing the leadership’s approach to cybersecurity, the CSC emphasizes that the council’s work is guided by directives from the nation’s leadership to build a robust and trustworthy digital infrastructure. Dr. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, who heads the cyber security office within the UAE government, articulates a vision of a secure cyber environment that safeguards citizens’ data, supports reliable digital services, and maintains public confidence in the digital economy. The governance framework behind these efforts prioritizes expanding cyber resilience across both public institutions and private enterprises, with a focus on reducing vulnerabilities in everyday digital interactions, including those that occur on public Wi‑Fi. This leadership stance reinforces the idea that cybersecurity is not purely a technical matter confined to IT departments; it is a strategic national priority that requires cross-sector collaboration, policy alignment, and sustained investment in people, processes, and technology. The CSC’s work, rooted in this strategic orientation, seeks to cultivate a culture of safe digital practices through education, awareness, and practical tools that empower users to protect themselves without sacrificing the convenience and benefits of connected life. The leadership’s messaging positions cybersecurity as a shared responsibility among individuals, organizations, and service providers, with an emphasis on collective action to raise the baseline level of security across the nation. By aligning public communications with a long-term resilience agenda, the UAE aims to create an environment in which the digital ecosystem operates with greater assurance—reducing risk, increasing trust, and enabling more efficient delivery of services to residents and visitors. This aspirational but concrete strategic direction helps to ensure that the country can respond effectively to both current threats and emerging challenges in a rapidly evolving cyber landscape. The emphasis on leadership-driven resilience also signals to international partners that the UAE is committed to advancing cyber defense through a coordinated, principled approach that integrates policy, technology, and human factors.

Practical implications for users, institutions, and public spaces

The CSC’s warning about open public Wi‑Fi and its recommended three-step strategy have wide-ranging implications for individuals, organizations, and the environments where people connect. For individual users, the guidance translates into concrete daily habits that can dramatically reduce exposure to cyber threats. The use of a trusted VPN helps to protect privacy by encrypting traffic, thereby mitigating the risk of credential theft and data interception on shared networks. Enabling safe browsing features in browsers supports proactive threat detection, helping to block access to phishing pages and suspicious sites before users can interact with them. Finally, avoiding the login to sensitive accounts over public Wi‑Fi minimizes the chance of session hijacking and credential compromise. These steps, when applied consistently, can form part of a personal cyber hygiene routine that reduces risk across a wide range of online activities. For institutions, the warnings highlight the importance of reinforcing secure practices among employees, clients, and partners who may rely on public networks for remote work, customer service, or field operations. Organizations can respond by providing clear guidance on acceptable usage of public networks, encouraging the use of VPNs for remote access, and implementing robust endpoint security, MFA, and secure access controls. They can also participate in national campaigns like Cyber Pulse by integrating awareness materials into training programs, communications channels, and customer-facing services, thereby extending the impact of these efforts beyond the workplace. Public spaces such as cafes, airports, and shopping centers can respond by improving the security of the networks they provide, such as implementing stronger authentication mechanisms, network segmentation, and real-time threat monitoring to detect abnormal activity. Public‑facing venues can also contribute to user education through signage, public announcements, and accessible online resources that explain how to connect securely and how to recognize phishing or suspicious redirects. The convergence of individual behavior, organizational policy, and venue-level security measures ultimately strengthens the entire digital ecosystem, reducing the probability and severity of breaches arising from public Wi‑Fi use. The CSC’s guidance thus has practical, implementable value, guiding everyday choices while informing longer-term investments in secure network infrastructure, user education programs, and coordinated security initiatives across sectors. By bridging policy, technology, and behavior, the UAE’s cybersecurity program can create a more resilient environment that supports secure digital participation for all.

Sectoral and societal implications: beyond the individual user

The trends toward increasing reliance on public Wi‑Fi networks intersect with multiple sectors, including finance, healthcare, education, government services, and tourism. While the CSC’s immediate emphasis is on personal risk and general cybersecurity hygiene, the underlying message carries broader significance for how institutions protect data, secure transactions, and deliver trusted digital services to the public. In financial services, for instance, maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of customer information and transaction data is essential to uphold consumer trust and regulatory compliance. Public Wi‑Fi risk can complicate efforts to ensure secure remote access, payment processing, and online banking activities, making it more important for institutions to deploy robust MFA, device health checks, and encrypted channels for remote sessions. In healthcare, patient information and appointment systems require strict protection due to the sensitivity of data and the critical nature of services. The public Wi‑Fi threat landscape could expose medical records, enable phishing campaigns targeting clinicians and patients, or disrupt access to online health portals, underscoring the need for comprehensive cybersecurity programs that span networks, endpoints, and user authentication. In education, schools and universities rely on online platforms and remote access to learning resources, student records, and research data. Public network vulnerabilities can undermine the integrity of these systems, so educational institutions may prioritize secure login processes, VPN-enabled access for remote staff and students, and ongoing digital literacy programs that teach safe online behaviors. Government services, which increasingly rely on digital channels for citizen interactions, require rigorous protection of personal information and secure service delivery. The threats associated with public Wi‑Fi networks have the potential to erode trust in e-government initiatives if breaches occur or if users perceive that their data is not adequately safeguarded. In tourism and consumer sectors, visitors and residents expect reliable, secure internet access in public spaces, along with assurances that personal data remains protected during online activities. Therefore, venues such as airports, hotels, and shopping centers have a stake in strengthening their own security measures and in educating the public about safe connection practices. The CSC’s work in promoting cyber hygiene and resilience thus contributes to a broader societal objective: enabling safe, trusted digital participation across diverse sectors and driving a more mature digital economy that can sustain growth while minimizing risk. The cross-sector implications reinforce the value of a national strategy that integrates policy, technology, education, and public engagement—ensuring that cyber resilience is embedded in the fabric of daily life and economic activity rather than treated as a standalone defense at the perimeters of government or large organizations.

Building a resilient digital future: policy, partnerships, and continuous learning

The UAE’s approach to cyber resilience, as reflected in the CSC’s warnings and campaigns, emphasizes continuous learning, collaboration, and the integration of protective technologies with user education. Policy frameworks that encourage secure defaults, privacy protections, and responsible disclosure of vulnerabilities contribute to a safer digital environment for all. Public‑private partnerships play a crucial role in this effort, bringing together technology providers, telecommunications operators, security researchers, educational institutions, and regulatory bodies to address shared challenges. By aligning incentives, sharing threat intelligence, and coordinating responses to incidents, stakeholders can reduce the time to detect, respond to, and recover from cyber threats associated with public Wi‑Fi and other attack surfaces. Education systems—from schools to workforce development programs—are essential for equipping citizens with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the digital world safely. The CSC’s Cyber Pulse campaign is an example of how continuous education can be woven into public messaging, ensuring that cyber hygiene remains a visible and evolving priority. In addition, ongoing investment in security research, advances in encryption technologies, and the deployment of user-friendly security tools can lower barriers to safe online practices. By combining policy-driven safeguards, technical innovation, and behavior-driven risk reduction, the UAE can sustain an environment in which digital services are reliable, private, and resilient to evolving threats. The outcome is a more secure digital economy, enhanced public trust, and a culture of proactive cyber defense that extends beyond the walls of government agencies to communities, workplaces, and everyday life.

Conclusion

The UAE Cyber Security Council’s warning about the rising risks associated with open public Wi‑Fi networks underscores a critical moment for digital safety and resilience in the UAE. With over 12,000 breaches recorded this year and public networks accounting for a substantial share of cyberattacks, the imperative to act now is clear. The CSC’s three-step framework—using a trusted VPN, enabling safe browsing features, and avoiding login to sensitive accounts over public Wi‑Fi—offers a practical, accessible path to reducing personal risk. These measures, complemented by broader awareness campaigns like Cyber Pulse and supported by leadership-driven resilience initiatives, aim to strengthen the cyber ecosystem for individuals and institutions alike. As threats evolve, the UAE’s strategy emphasizes a layered defense approach, integrating technical controls, education, and public‑private collaboration to create a safer, more trustworthy digital environment. By promoting secure connectivity practices, reinforcing encryption and authentication, and fostering a culture of cyber hygiene, the UAE can continue to enable convenient digital access while mitigating the risks that come with public Wi‑Fi. The road ahead involves sustained commitment to policy, technology, and people—ensuring that the benefits of connected life are preserved without compromising security, privacy, or trust in the nation’s digital infrastructure.