You are operating in an environment where attackers use automation and advanced models to probe, bypass, and exploit identity controls at scale. Phishing emails are no longer generic; they are crafted with precision, mimicking executives, suppliers, or system alerts. Deepfake voices and videos are now tools to trick staff into approving transactions or resetting credentials. Even machine identities, such as API keys or service accounts, are being targeted automatically. At the same time, defenders are deploying analytics, behavioural monitoring, and AI-assisted risk scoring to detect anomalies. For you, the battlefield is identity, and the arms race is AI against AI.
In the UAE Cybersecurity context, this battle is urgent. Regulatory changes, such as the OTP phase-out by 2026, PDPL requirements, and IAS standards, demand stronger identity controls. If you fail to secure human and machine accounts proactively, attackers using automated techniques will exploit every gap. We have observed that enterprises that integrate AI-driven monitoring with governance, visibility, and automation can detect and respond to incidents far faster than those relying solely on static controls. Identity is no longer just a component of security; it is the arena where AI defines success or failure.
Key Cyber Threats in the UAE
Phishing attacks now leverage generative models that create highly personalised emails and documents. We have seen examples in UAE enterprises where contractors received automated onboarding emails with deepfake signatures that granted OAuth access to critical systems. Traditional filters do not catch these attacks. You need behaviour-based monitoring that flags impossible travel, device mismatches, or privilege misuse. AI allows attackers to test multiple vectors at high speed, so your defences must also analyse patterns continuously rather than rely on single login checks.
Machine accounts are another target. Automated tools can scan for exposed API keys, misconfigured service accounts, or over-permissioned containers. In multiple UAE audits, we found thousands of accounts with excessive privileges that were never rotated. AI-assisted tools on your side can correlate logins, usage patterns, and privilege changes to spot unusual activity that humans would miss. If you do not manage both human and machine identities with AI-enabled monitoring, you are leaving high-speed attack vectors unprotected.
How UAE Regulations Shape Your Response
The Central Bank of the UAE requires the removal of SMS and email OTPs by March 2026. You cannot afford to wait until the last minute. We have helped organisations move to device-linked credentials, passkeys, and biometrics. AI-assisted authentication can make these transitions smoother by adjusting risk thresholds and prompting additional verification only when necessary.
PDPL and IAS standards expect you to show auditable identity governance. AI helps by continuously scanning your systems for orphaned accounts, privilege drift, and unmonitored third-party access. We have seen that using AI for compliance monitoring reduces the workload on security teams while providing real-time assurance for auditors and regulators. You must treat AI as a force multiplier rather than a novelty.
Building Your AI-Powered Identity Defense
Zero Trust is a critical framework, but it’s only truly effective when every identity is verified, every access justified, and every session is monitored continuously. In today’s threat landscape, this isn’t possible with manual processes. AI is no longer a “nice-to-have”; it’s the engine that transforms Zero Trust from a static policy into a real-time, adaptive defense.
Instead of a single check at the login screen, AI allows you to evaluate risk throughout a user or machine identity’s entire session. Think of it less like a locked door and more like a security guard who watches every person after they enter, spotting unusual behavior as it happens.
- Continuous Risk Scoring: AI creates a behavioral baseline for every identity. It learns that an API key for your marketing team typically accesses specific ad platforms between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. When that same key suddenly attempts to access your financial system databases at 2 a.m., it’s a critical anomaly that would be immediately flagged. This is something a human analyst would likely miss in a flood of daily logs.
- Adaptive Authentication: Rather than constantly bombarding users with multi-factor authentication (MFA) prompts, AI uses risk scoring to trigger an additional verification step only when necessary. If a user logs in from a new device in a different country, they’re challenged. If they’re logging in from their usual office network and laptop, they can proceed without interruption. This approach improves security while reducing user friction.
- Just-in-Time Access: The principle of least privilege, which gives an identity only the permissions it needs exactly when it needs them, is made scalable by AI. Instead of granting permanent, excessive privileges, AI-driven systems can grant a user access to a sensitive system for a limited time to complete a specific task, then automatically revoke it. This makes it impossible for an attacker to exploit long-standing, overly broad permissions.
Attackers are increasingly targeting machine identities, such as API keys, service accounts, and privileged containers, because they are often unmonitored. While you treat human accounts with rigor, these automated identities are often left unprotected. AI is essential here, too. It provides the only scalable way to manage the sheer volume and speed of machine-to-machine interactions. You must apply the same principles to machine identities, including automated credential rotation, expiration policies, and continuous audit trails.
Platforms and Tools That Give You an Edge
Converged platforms such as Saviynt unify IGA, privileged access management, and vendor onboarding into one view. AI capabilities can automate deprovisioning, track machine accounts, and highlight anomalies that would otherwise remain hidden. We have observed that enterprises using these tools reduce orphaned accounts, prevent privilege creep, and produce audit-ready reports quickly.
Proofpoint focuses on human identity protection by monitoring behaviour and detecting phishing, impersonation, and social engineering attacks. Its AI-driven threat intelligence allows you to flag risky users, catch unusual activity, and enforce targeted controls before attackers gain a foothold.
BeyondTrust employs AI to monitor privileged sessions continuously. Automated credential rotation, just-in-time access and anomaly detection stop automated brute-force or credential-stuffing attacks and shut down compromised accounts without manual intervention.
Microsoft Entra and Azure AD integrate risk-based conditional access and continuous authentication checks across cloud and hybrid environments. Their adaptive models evaluate every login and machine identity in real time, challenging suspicious activity and enforcing passwordless methods such as passkeys and biometrics.
When evaluating solutions, ensure they can support modern authentication methods like passkeys and biometrics, track and rotate machine identities automatically, and integrate AI-based anomaly detection. Platforms that cannot do all three leave gaps for AI-powered attackers to exploit. You must ensure that your tools work together as a unified defence rather than isolated modules.
Preparing for Future AI Threats
AI-driven attacks will only grow in sophistication. You should expect deepfake voice calls, automated social engineering campaigns, and credential stuffing that adapts in real time. At the same time, AI-driven analytics will help you detect these attacks earlier and prevent escalation. We recommend integrating threat intelligence feeds, monitoring patterns across human and machine identities, and continuously tuning your detection models.
Machine identity governance will become mandatory. Every API, service account, and container must have lifecycle policies, automated rotation, and audits. AI can help identify unusual behaviour, predict risks, and prioritise interventions. Regulatory enforcement will tighten, and only organisations that integrate AI into identity management proactively will maintain resilience.
You must treat identity as the central battlefield where attackers and defenders clash. By integrating AI into monitoring, governance, and risk assessment, you increase visibility, reduce response times, and minimise privilege misuse. We have seen that enterprises that leverage AI effectively can stay ahead of threats, comply with regulations, and maintain operational trust.
