UAE Residents Granted VPN Use, Cybersecurity Chief Notes Misuse Concerns

Muhammad Al Kuwaiti, the Head of Cybersecurity at the UAE Government, stated that residents in the UAE are permitted to use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), but the issue lies in their misuse. The statement was made during the G[P]RC Summit, emphasizing that while there is no problem with people using VPNs, the concern arises when they are utilized for malicious activities.

According to the Global VPN Adoption Index by Atlas VPN, the UAE recorded the highest VPN application downloads in 2023 over the past four years. This surpassed the downloads during the pandemic year in 2020, reaching 6.09 million. The surge in VPN usage has prompted the UAE government to address potential misuse.

Under UAE Decree Law No (34) of 2021, which focuses on combating rumors and cybercrimes, the use of VPNs for illegal activities or to hide IP addresses and gain access to restricted websites, calling applications, or gaming applications is considered a serious offense.

Violators of the law and those who misuse VPNs in the UAE could face severe consequences, including imprisonment and fines ranging from Dh500,000 to Dh2 million.

Nord Security highlighted that VPNs are commonly used in the UAE and other Gulf countries for making audio-video calls through popular apps like WhatsApp, Skype, Facetime, Discord, IMO, and dating applications.

The statistics reveal that UAE residents downloaded 6.1 million VPN apps in the previous year, marking an increase of 1.83 million from the year before. The VPN penetration rate was calculated by summing up VPN downloads and dividing them by the country's population, using data from Google Play and Apple App Store.

Al Kuwaiti also addressed the increasing risks in the cybersecurity domain, stating that artificial intelligence (AI) has contributed to the complexity. He mentioned instances of ransomware utilizing AI to craft phishing emails and create and verify codes to infiltrate systems.

Despite the challenges, Al Kuwaiti emphasized the growing role of AI in defending against cyberattacks. The UAE has set a centennial goal for 2071 to become an AI nation, using AI for proactive threat detection. Al Kuwaiti acknowledged the collaborative efforts with partners to ensure the safety and security of the country's infrastructure, highlighting the importance of flexible and suitable policies for businesses to prosper in the evolving digital landscape.