Safeguarding Data During Uncertain Times: Cybersecurity Priorities For The GCC

Heightened geopolitical tension is commonly accompanied by a measurable increase in cyber risk. In February 2026, Dr Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council (the Council), announced that “over 90,000 to 200,000 breach attempts strike the UAE infrastructure every single day”, highlighting the need for an advanced and proactive cybersecurity ecosystem to counter digital threats.¹ Other authorities outside the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), such as the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), have consistently warned that periods of instability are exploited by threat actors to intensify both opportunistic and targeted cyber activity.² (see Akin’s alert on CISA’s warning of ongoing cyber activity targeting U.S. critical infrastructure in light of the regional developments here). These advisories build on prior government guidance highlighting both the significant consequences of cyber