The Ministry of Interior and the Central Agency for Information Technology have issued a warning against the increasing rate of cybercrime, as well as the targeting of the digital systems of state agencies by professional hackers, according to an Arab daily. During Kuwait’s Fourth Conference on Combating Cybercrime held on Saturday, officials and technical specialists tackled the increase in cyber threats and stressed the need to update the systems and programs of state agencies, as well as take strict measures to protect them from phishing activities.
The Director General of the Central Agency for Information Technology, Dr. Ammar Al-Husseini, confirmed the presence of several cyber threats and challenges facing Kuwait, and ensured continuous technological and service development, calling for preparation and awareness of dealing with various electronic means to reach government agencies.
Al-Husseini touched on the importance of investing in cybersecurity to properly face dangers, in addition to training individuals to confront the many challenges and constant threats. He also pointed out that 10 percent of victims reported the online cases they were exposed to, indicating that cyber threats were embodied in several cases, including business disruption and fraud, while global losses amounted to 6 trillion dollars annually, and is expected to increase to 10 trillion in 2025 due to depletion of resources through electronic attack and fraud.
Moreover, the official also called for unifying efforts to confront the attack and raise safety indicators, by continuously tapping modern systems through government agencies and private sector companies and striving towards training employees. In connection, the head of the Support Services Department in the General Department of Electronic Crimes at the Ministry of Interior, Lieutenant Colonel Ammar Al-Sarraf, confirmed a noticeable increase in electronic crimes during the current year. He added that there are a total 4,000 registered complaints, varying in their classification as crimes of extortion, fraud, and defamation, as legal measures were taken against them.
He pointed out that the largest number of registered complaints is the violation of the dignity by individuals, and the defamation of others through social networks, stressing the overlapping between freedom of expression and constructive criticism, abuse and verbal assault, including the use of graphic expressions. The official also revealed that artificial intelligence facilitates the process of obtaining and disseminating data on the internet, stressing the importance of promoting culture and awareness in the use of the internet and social media, and facilitating the establishment of companies operating in the field of online protection and local data platforms.
Furthermore, cyber threats come in various forms and mechanisms, such as attempting to penetrate state agency systems and programs, extortion and violation of a person’s dignity through social networking sites, obtaining and publishing protected data online, and committing crimes of extortion and fraud. Furthermore, Al-Sarraf also said that the ministry had arrested a suspected hacker who used ransomware, whose operations are widespread and aim to cause harm at various levels.
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