The Middle East is in a state of crisis, facing several critical inflection points in 2025. Among these points, the supply chain security challenge in the Middle East is something that cannot be overlooked. The additional challenge faced by the region is the new geopolitical flashpoints and the skyrocketing prices of cyber incidents.
Once considered a backdoor threat to the UAE, it has now become the front-line security priority for organizations in the region. The supply chain security challenge in the Middle East is no longer limited to prediction articles, debates or podcasts, it’s 100% real, escalating at every second and more complex than we thought it was.
Decoding the Supply Chain Security Challenge in the Middle East
Data from Cyble reveals an increase in software supply chain attacks over the past year. From February to September 2024, there were roughly 13 such incidents per month. However, from October 2024 through May 2025, that number jumped to over 16 monthly attacks, representing a 25% increase. Interestingly, the past three months averaged nearly 25 attacks per month, marking an almost twofold surge.
While monthly numbers fluctuate, ranging from as few as six in January 2025 to 31 in April, the overall trend points to a sharp upward trajectory. These supply chain security challenges in the Middle East are not new and almost every industry faces them. The IT, telecommunications, and technology companies are the most targeted ones, and out of 79 incidents tracked in early 2025, 63% targeted these sectors, disrupting the entire supply chains down to the end user.
The Middle East supply chain cyber threat no longer exists in just theory. There have been 10 cyber incidents that disrupted the supply chain, including four each in the UAE and Israel. These attacks follow an unorthodox pattern that doesn’t follow any linear calculation and effects 22 of 24 industry sectors globally, though only the mining and real estate sectors have remained untouched.
Middle East at the Epicenter of Digital Risk
The supply chain security challenge in the Middle East is an ongoing battle, and it is not stopping any time soon. However, in the process, the Middle East’s digital transformation has gained an unparallel momentum, including programs like the Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and Qatar’s Smart Nation initiatives.
Contrastingly, the supply chain security challenge in the Middle East is further amplified by zero-day vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-4577 and CVE-2024-26169. Threat actors have used these flaws to create digital weapons and payloads to enter systems, sometimes within days before a patch is released. The dark reality of these vulnerabilities is these are not just random numbers or codes; these are happening in real time.
For example, the Cardinal cybercrime group exploited CVE-2024-26169, a vulnerability in Windows kernel. The group targeted financial services and government entities weeks before a patch was released.
The regional critical sectors, such as oil, gas, and transportation, were not spared either. In 2024, almost 25% of reported cyberattacks in the Middle East, specifically, targeted government institutions. These attacks effects sectors such as telecommunications, especially with the help of vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-41570.
The Middle East supply chain cyber threat isn’t just about digital code; physical logistics are under siege as well. The introduction of compromised hardware components in September 2024 allowed attackers to infiltrate networks over long periods without detection.
Geopolitical Tensions Compound the Risk
According to Gartner’s June 2025 analysis, the ongoing Israel-Iran tensions are triggering ripple effects across global supply chains. For businesses operating in the region, the supply chain security challenge in the Middle East includes both digital and physical dimensions.
The Red Sea/Suez Canal bottleneck, where container traffic dropped by 50% during the 2023 Red Sea crisis, remains a major vulnerability. Additional chokepoints include the Strait of Hormuz and regional ports like Jebel Ali and Haifa. Delays in railfreight from Eurasia have compounded the issue, with transit times increasing by four to six weeks.
Fuel surcharges, insurance premiums, and inventory costs are climbing sharply, with supply chain-related expenditures rising by up to 30–50%. These disruptions demand urgent supply chain risk assessment Middle East strategies to ensure resilience.
High-Profile Supply Chain Incidents
Cyble’s investigations into recent high-profile incidents offer clear warnings:
- A ransomware group attacked a Swiss banking technology firm, leaking credentials for multiple banking applications.
- A threat actor claimed to possess 92 GB of sensitive satellite data linked to ASEAN operations.
- The DragonForce group stole over 200 GB of data from a U.S. biometrics firm—data that could potentially affect Middle Eastern partners.
- The Crypto24 group infiltrated a Singapore-based tech firm, stealing 3TB of project documentation and customer records.
Though many of these attacks occurred outside the region, their downstream effects impacted partners and clients in the Middle East, demonstrating that the Middle East supply chain cyber threat often begins far beyond regional borders.
Regional Cybersecurity Initiatives and Regulatory Push
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, regional governments are taking action:
- Saudi Arabia’s National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) is enforcing the Essential Cybersecurity Controls (ECC), focusing on resilience and governance.
- Qatar’s National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) is leading cross-sector collaboration under the 2024 National Cybersecurity Strategy.
- Oman is guiding both public and private sectors via its Basic Security Controls (BSC) framework.
Regulations like Qatar’s Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) and Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Cyber Crime Law are pushing organizations to prioritize supply chain risk assessment Middle East and implement stricter incident response protocols.
Conclusion
The supply chain security challenge in the Middle East is escalating, with cyberattacks and geopolitical risks disrupting critical sectors. Cyble’s threat intelligence shows a clear rise in supply chain incidents, calling for immediate, data-driven responses.
Tackling the supply chain security challenge in the Middle East demands advanced, AI-native solutions like those offered by Cyble.
Schedule a personalized demo to see how Cyble can help secure your supply chain.
