The need for digitisation during the pandemic in a short period of time has scaled up online activity to unanticipated levels, but cybersecurity measures were found lagging behind in the race to keep up with a fast paced transition. Even as firms and authorities were figuring out ways to strengthen the cyber safety fence around the flow of data in a highly connected world, hackers ans scammers had already come up with new tactics to target netizens.

Although use of online solutions like telemedicine, e-commerce and work from home helped the UAE steer through lockdowns, the digital migration has exposed the Middle East to a cyber pandemic. Recognising the uncertain nature of moves adopted by cybercrooks to swindle unsuspecting users via mail or social media, an American firm has ventured into the unknown dark web, where a lot of cyber attacks originate from.

Equipped with AI to accurately flag or efficiently predict a threat from hackers as well as online fraudsters, LA-based Resecurity decided to take the fight to cyber criminals in their own turf. It has also assembled a team of data scientists, cyber threat analysts and cyber security experts, to provide state-of-the-art protection to businesses in the gulf region.

The company has unveiled its offerings at Dubai's latest tech fiesta GITEX, in order to reach out to over 100,000 people, with products to safeguard e-government, cloud storage and smart cities. But since UAE has become a destination for online entrepreneurs, digital nomads and freelancers, Resecurity is also pitching security measures for those who are working remotely.

The past few months have seen hackers using more sophisticated tactics like breaking into less secure wireless networks, for entering company servers. Recently a cyber-heist worth millions was pulled off using deep voice tech to impersonate a firm's director.

Measures like use of AI to predict cyber threats, or mock drills to assess the strengths as well as flaws of a cyber-safety infrastructure, have emerged as crucial methods for securing sensitive data.