Abu dhabi: As part of its weekly awareness campaign under the "Cyber Pulse" initiative, the UAE Cybersecurity Council (CSC) has emphasized the critical importance of raising awareness about AI-enabled fraud techniques.
According to Emirated News Agency, the Council's latest outreach message highlights how artificial intelligence and its various applications have fundamentally reshaped fraudulent practices, allowing tasks that once required significant time and effort to be executed in mere seconds.
CSC noted that these technologies complicate the detection of cyber fraud, as artificial intelligence can make deceptive activities appear legitimate. This includes generating realistic voice imitations, altering logos to appear official, transforming text and graphics into polished designs, and framing scams as urgent security requests. AI also enables fraudsters to create trustworthy-looking links, amid a rapid rise in advanced, technology-driven fraud attempts.
The Council highlighted that AI-powered phishing contributes to more than 90 percent of digital breaches. Scammers craft messages that appear almost perfectly authentic, removing common warning signs and designing fraudulent operations with minimal detectable flaws. This requires vigilance from individuals and users before clicking on links and verifying the legitimacy of advertisements, promotional messages, or any communication requesting personal or financial information.
CSC explained that as AI usage expands, the line between authenticity and imitation blurs, increasing fraud risks. This necessitates adopting defensive tools and techniques built on knowledge and awareness. Strengthening capabilities is essential to provide protection against account takeovers, enhance detection accuracy, reduce false alerts, safeguard payment integrity, and support AI-powered investigation prioritization.
The Council affirmed that combating phishing and electronic fraud begins with individuals strengthening cyber culture and awareness of AI's malicious potential. AI-generated images can make products or advertisements seem real, allowing fraudsters to mislead the public on a large scale. Constant vigilance is essential to prevent full-scale scams.
The "Cyber Pulse" campaign offered practical tips through its weekly message, such as avoiding unverified links, checking for errors in suspicious messages, verifying information through trusted channels, enabling multi-factor authentication, and activating security software. The Council emphasized that online safety is a critical challenge and preventive measures complement ongoing government efforts to address digital risks associated with AI and technological developments.
Now in its second year, the "Cyber Pulse" awareness campaign continues across social media platforms as part of the UAE's efforts to build a secure cyberspace. The initiative aligns with the nation's vision to enhance confidence in the digital ecosystem, foster a strong cybersecurity culture, and promote best practices to protect citizens and residents' safety and privacy amid rapid digital transformation.