By Mariam Al Hassani – CIT (UAEU).
Cybercrime is on the rise and its activities know no boundaries.
The convenience and the speed of the internet are being exploited to commit serious crimes that threaten victims the world over. These internet related crimes take many forms ranging from attacks on social media accounts, theft and bullying, to large scale acts of terrorism.
To protect people from cyber-threats, the UAE introduced laws specifically aimed at dealing with such activities (Cybercrime Law No 5 of 2012).
Fines can be issued ranging from Dh2m to Dh4m together with up to 25 years of jail time for anyone who facilitates online communication between terrorists or unauthorised groups. Penalties also apply to anyone promoting or praising these illegal groups’ ideas, or financing their activities.
The penalties for getting caught make cybercriminals think twice about carrying out attacks within the UAE. Governments and individuals from across the globe are inherently responsible for protecting themselves and their devices from cybercrimes. They must take measures to guarantee that their cybersecurity is kept current and they remain vigilant in keeping their electronic systems, data and networks safe and free from viruses, spyware or any malicious programs.
According to Norton Cyber Security Report; seven out of 10 people know how to protect their devices, but yet they click on doubtful links and unwittingly allow attacks against their computer hardware and software.
Everyone must be committed to the prevention of digital crime as to ensure the use of trustworthy websites when shopping online, as well as the use of the two step verification that worldwide companies such as Google, Apple and Facebook provide in their apps.
