The Head of Cybersecurity at the UAE Government, Muhammad Al Kuwaiti, has stated that residents in the UAE are permitted to use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), but misuse of these networks is a growing concern. Al Kuwaiti emphasized that while the UAE has no issue with people using VPNs, their misuse for illicit activities poses a significant problem.
In 2023, the UAE saw a surge in VPN application downloads, recording the highest number in the past four years, according to the Global VPN Adoption Index by Atlas VPN. This number surpassed the 2020 pandemic year’s downloads, reaching 6.09 million.
However, the UAE has strict regulations governing VPN usage. Under Decree Law No (34) of 2021, using VPNs for illegal purposes, committing crimes, or attempting to access blocked websites, calling applications, or gaming applications is considered a serious offense. Violators could face imprisonment and fines ranging from Dh500,000 to Dh2 million.
Nord Security reported that UAE residents commonly use VPNs for making audio-video calls through popular apps such as WhatsApp, Skype, Facetime, Discord, IMO, and dating apps. In 2023, UAE residents downloaded 6.1 million VPN apps, marking an increase of 1.83 million from the previous year.
Al Kuwaiti also highlighted the growing risks in the cybersecurity domain, with artificial intelligence (AI) adding complexity. Ransomware attacks often use AI to craft phishing emails and create and verify codes to infiltrate systems. He emphasized the importance of AI in defending against cyberattacks and noted the UAE’s centennial goal of becoming an AI-driven nation by 2071.