By Danny Jenkins, Co-Founder & CEO of ThreatLocker
The UAE faces a high volume of cyberattacks every day, with strategic sectors such as healthcare among the prime targets. Beyond financial or reputational damage, a successful breach in a hospital can directly impact patient safety, making cybersecurity not just an IT issue, but a critical part of healthcare resilience. Protecting this digital backbone requires hospitals to move beyond reactive measures and adopt a proactive, layered approach to cybersecurity.
UAE hospitals sit at the crossroads of two powerful forces: the rapid digitalisation of healthcare and the rising sophistication of cybercriminals. Patient records, connected medical devices, and round-the-clock clinical operations create a rich environment of high-value data and critical systems that cannot afford downtime. This makes hospitals and wider healthcare institutions in the UAE a prime target for hackers.
Why UAE hospitals are a prime target for cybercriminals
Patient records contain sensitive personal, medical, and financial information that can be sold on the dark web for far more than credit card details. Unlike other sectors, healthcare organisations cannot afford prolonged downtime as systems must stay operational to protect patient lives. This urgency can often make hospitals more likely to pay ransoms quickly, making them an attractive target for ransomware gangs.
At the same time, hospitals face unique cybersecurity challenges that make them particularly vulnerable and a prime target for attackers. Their IT systems are complex, often relying on outdated infrastructure that’s difficult to upgrade without disrupting patient care. Clinical environments are inherently open – several endpoints such as workstations, medical devices, and terminals are located in patient-facing areas, where physical access is less controlled than in most organisations.
Additionally, doctors and nurses are not necessarily tech experts. Their focus is rightly on saving lives, not spotting suspicious links or identifying phishing attempts. This human factor combined with the high value of healthcare data creates significant opportunities for cybercriminals.
Why resilience, not just compliance, must be the sector’s new focus
The recent cyberattack on a Dubai hospital underscores the sector’s vulnerability. The attackers claimed to have stolen 450 million data points and four terabytes of data. However, in reality, it’s highly unlikely that this figure is accurate. In many ransomware cases, hackers will exfiltrate a much smaller portion of data, often around 10%, but claim they have everything.
Hackers then “drip feed” stolen information to create fear and pressure the victim into paying. If attackers truly extracted 450 million medical records and four terabytes of data in one go, the sheer scale of the transfer would almost certainly trigger detection systems. On the other hand, taking a smaller amount, such as 400 gigabytes, can often evade automated alarms and remain unnoticed for longer.
While details of the incident are still emerging, attacks like this often exploit two factors: outdated or unpatched systems and human error. Once hackers gain access – whether through compromised credentials, malicious email attachments, or vulnerable software – they can quickly move laterally through interconnected systems.
Practical, actionable steps UAE healthcare providers must take
The priority should be to move beyond reactive measures and adopt a proactive security posture. UAE healthcare providers must begin by strengthening their foundational defences. From conducting ongoing risk assessments and patching vulnerabilities on a regular basis to enforcing strict access controls across networks and devices, hospitals need to lay solid foundations to bolster cybersecurity.
Beyond technology, building a culture of cyber resilience is essential. From frontline medical staff to administrative teams, hospitals should provide basic cybersecurity training to all their staff to reduce risks from phishing or social engineering. However, real protection must include but not be limited to cybersecurity training. For UAE hospitals, the priority should be implementing layered, proactive controls that limit the impact if mistakes happen.
There are several actionable steps UAE hospitals can take:
- Adopt a zero-trust approach – Advanced zero trust solutions enable IT teams to enforce precise control over what software can run, where it can run, and what data it can access, significantly reducing the attack surface
- Block untrusted software – Prevent the execution of applications and files that haven’t been explicitly approved
- Deploy multi-factor authentication –Hospitals must ensure that access to critical systems and sensitive data requires more than just a password
- Ensure full network visibility –Healthcare institutions should use tools to monitor, log, and audit all system activity so suspicious behaviour can be identified and addressed quickly
- Regularly update systems –Applying security patches and updates promptly is a must to close known vulnerabilities
By combining robust technical controls with ongoing staff awareness, UAE healthcare providers can significantly strengthen their cyber resilience and minimise the likelihood and impact of future attacks.
Equally important is the ability to respond with speed and precision when an incident occurs, which requires robust technology and a well-tested incident response plan that minimises disruption to care. Hospitals can develop a clear, step-by-step playbook that defines roles, responsibilities, and escalation procedures the moment a breach is suspected. This can include regular simulation exercises to stress-test readiness, secure and accessible data backups to minimise downtime, and a rapid-response team that brings together IT, clinical, legal, and communications employees. Importantly, hospitals should also address how to maintain patient safety and continuity of care during an incident, as even a few hours of system disruption can have life-threatening consequences.
Final words
Cybersecurity in healthcare is no longer just a technical issue; it is a matter of patient safety and public trust. For UAE hospitals, the stakes are particularly high: a single breach can compromise sensitive data, disrupt critical services, and erode confidence in the healthcare system. The recent Dubai incident is a stark reminder that cybercriminals will continue to target vulnerabilities, whether through outdated infrastructure or human error.
Cybersecurity for hospitals requires more than reactive measures. By adopting proactive, layered defences that use a combination of zero trust principles, continuous monitoring, and strong access controls, UAE hospitals can protect themselves. Crucially, success will depend on embedding cybersecurity into the culture of care, ensuring it becomes as integral to protecting patients as the medicine and technology that sustain their lives.
