Middle East Faces Surge in Cyberattacks on Telecom and Military Sectors

Cyber attackers have intensified their focus on key sectors in the Middle East, particularly telecommunications and the military-industrial complex, as revealed by research conducted by Positive Technologies. The study found that 88% of targeted groups were in Saudi Arabia, with government agencies, manufacturing, telecommunications, the military-industrial complex, and energy being the top sectors under attack.

Malicious actors primarily utilized phishing emails and exploited vulnerabilities in public-facing applications to gain initial access. Notably, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, and Lebanon were among the primary targets.

Yana Avezova, a senior analyst at Positive Technologies, highlighted that government agencies were the most sought-after targets, with 94% of APT groups having attacked them at least once. Additionally, the energy sector was targeted by 69% of these groups.

The report underscores the rising significance of the military-industrial complex in the region, attributed to its unique nature. Moreover, telecommunications have become a prime target, particularly due to attacks by China-linked groups.

Initial access methods varied, with 69% relying on phishing campaigns and others exploiting flaws in public-facing applications or deploying malware on industry websites. Once inside, attackers focused on reconnaissance and establishing a foothold, often leveraging the task scheduler and configuring malware to auto-run.

To remain undetected, adversaries employed various techniques, including modifying malware to bypass antivirus detection and disguising it as legitimate files. Moreover, over half of the APT groups removed traces of their activity by clearing event logs and network connection history.

To combat these complex targeted attacks, Positive Technologies advocates for fundamental cybersecurity measures such as asset management, incident monitoring and response, cybersecurity training, and security assessments.

For a comprehensive understanding of the tactics and techniques used by APT groups in the Middle East, the report published on Positive Technologies’ website provides detailed insights.