The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, are on the road to becoming the next digital powerhouse. This transformation is accompanied by the heavy use of technologies in the region and positive investments in the cybersecurity domain.
However, with innovation comes risk, and the region is also experiencing a massive cyberattack spree often orchestrated by ransomware groups, hacktivists, or state-sponsored actors. The GCC cyber threats landscape is exposing some critical vulnerabilities to threat actors, and these players are enjoying using this data to extort millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims.
Ransomware: The Apex Predator of GCC Cyber Threats
Ransomware groups affecting GCC nations have intensified over the past few years, especially in 2024 and 2025. These actors are well-versed in technologies, particularly in exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities and commoditized ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) models. Collectives like the Qilin, DarkVault, and remnants of Conti are some of the names that target this region. They specifically look for critical sectors like oil and gas, public services, and finance.
Qilin, known for double extortion, has hit logistics and energy firms across the Middle East, with Cyble linking its attacks to major data leaks. Meanwhile, DarkVault, a newer but highly capable group, has targeted high-availability systems in Qatar and Oman, exploiting zero-day and VPN vulnerabilities. Some other attacks even go beyond what we know about cyberattacks so far.
For example, a Man-in-the-Middle (MiTM) attack captures packets travelling through networks and exploits them using tools and techniques. Similarly, watering hole attacks frequently target a particular website or service that people use in a region or situation and slowly infect their devices with malware when they visit the site again.
These targeted campaigns are not only technologically advanced but strategically timed. Exploits like CVE-2024-4577 and CVE-2024-26169 have been weaponized within days of public disclosure. Cyble’s threat intelligence platform continues to monitor such exploitation in real time, offering organizations crucial early warning and mitigation support.
Data Breaches and the Rise of Dark Web Exposure
The GCC’s rapid digital growth has also led to an increase in GCC dark web posts data exposure. In the first half of 2025 alone, Cyble identified over 90 cases of leaked GCC-related data on underground forums and marketplaces. These leaks often contain financial records, credentials, and personal information, making them valuable assets for cybercriminals.
Some of the breaches stem from third-party vendors and supply chain partners, further underlining the complexity of GCC data breach threat intelligence. In one notable instance, attackers infiltrated a UAE-based cloud service provider and exfiltrated customer records across several industries, including healthcare and fintech, later dumping them on dark web marketplaces.
Supply Chain and E-Commerce: The New Cyber Battleground
GCC e-commerce cyber threats are other concerns that are often overlooked. With digital retail and online financial transactions surging post-pandemic, threat actors are shifting their focus to payment platforms, customer databases, and logistics providers.
Cyble’s research found a 25% spike in phishing and credential-stuffing attacks targeting GCC-based e-commerce portals between Q1 and Q3 of 2025. In many cases, compromised admin credentials were later found listed on dark web markets, linking back to poor password hygiene and unpatched web apps.
Additionally, the supply chain security challenge continues to escalate. Between October 2024 and May 2025, Cyble tracked a monthly average of over 16 software supply chain attacks in the region. These incidents often result in downstream impacts, disrupting not just digital infrastructure but physical logistics as well.
Key Target Sectors in the Crosshairs
Cyble’s telemetry shows that GCC cyber threats are not evenly distributed. Certain sectors remain under constant siege:
- Government and Public Administration: Nearly one in four cyberattacks in the region target public sector entities. These often involve wipers and politically motivated ransomware variants.
- Oil & Gas: A crown jewel in the GCC economy, this sector is heavily targeted with malware exploiting SCADA systems and OT infrastructure.
- Telecommunications: The backbone of the region’s digital infrastructure is frequently targeted using exploits such as CVE-2023-41570, affecting wireless network management systems.
Conclusion
To counter the scale of GCC cyber threats, organizations need advanced, real-time threat visibility. Cyble delivers exactly that, AI-native, intelligence-driven capabilities built to tackle GCC ransomware incidents, GCC dark web posts data exposure, and GCC data breach threat intelligence head-on.
With deep insight into ransomware groups affecting GCC and dark web ecosystems, Cyble enables governments and enterprises to move from reactive to proactive defense, securing the region’s digital future.
Schedule a demo today to see how Cyble works better for your organization!
