Cyberattacks on the retail sector in the Middle East and North Africa are surging, revealing unexpected vulnerabilities that could cost businesses millions. While governments and banks often grab the headlines, retailers are increasingly becoming prime targets for cybercriminals in the region, leaving many experts concerned about the evolving threat landscape.
Retail Targeted Alongside Critical Sectors
Recent findings from SOCRadar’s annual MEA Threat Landscape Report show that retail has emerged as one of the most attacked sectors across MENA. Between September 2024 and September 2025, retail operations — from clothing stores to baby food outlets — faced a range of cyber threats including phishing campaigns, ransomware, and data extortion.
Surprisingly, retail ranked just behind the public sector and finance in the region’s threat activity, highlighting how financially motivated attackers see these businesses as high-return targets. The report separated traditional retail from e-commerce operations, showing that even physical stores are heavily exploited, with hackers often selling stolen credit card data on the Dark Web for immediate profit.
The attacks are not just financially driven. Some overlap with politically motivated campaigns, particularly in regions of heightened geopolitical tension. For example, Dark Web posts offered 259 gigabytes of allegedly stolen data from Israeli shopping malls, while Egyptian baby food e-stores reported breaches affecting tens of thousands of orders.
Why Retailers Are Vulnerable
Experts point out that small and medium-sized retailers are particularly attractive targets. Certis Foster, senior threat hunter lead at Deepwatch, explained that many retailers cannot afford robust cybersecurity measures, leaving them exposed. Attackers exploit this gap, knowing that stores cannot stay offline for long periods without suffering financial losses.
Quick ransom payments are common because businesses need immediate access to their systems.
Credit card transactions provide a fast monetization route for cybercriminals.
Retail environments often lack dedicated security teams, making them easier to breach compared to banks or telecom firms.
The pattern indicates that attackers are not just focusing on political impact but on financial efficiency and ease of access.
Ransomware Trends in MENA
The SOCRadar report revealed unexpected ransomware patterns in the region. Contrary to assumptions, Pakistan experienced more ransomware attacks than any other country, surpassing Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Israel. Over a third of all MENA ransomware attacks occurred in Pakistan, highlighting vulnerabilities in its corporate and public systems.
Analysts suggest that weaker defenses across critical industries may make Pakistan a high-return target for attackers. Meanwhile, the UAE and Israel, despite being high-profile nations with advanced infrastructures, faced comparatively fewer ransomware attacks.
Most ransomware operations in the region were conducted by smaller, often unknown groups. Around 71 percent of attacks were carried out by previously unidentified threat actors, indicating that cybercrime is becoming more accessible and less centralized. Foster emphasized that ready-made ransomware kits have lowered the entry barrier for these attackers, making it easier than ever to launch successful campaigns.
Regional Threat Landscape and Dark Web Insights
Public sector entities remain the most targeted by cybercriminals, followed closely by finance and IT sectors. Retail is now firmly in the top five, emphasizing that attackers do not discriminate purely based on strategic importance or size of potential victims.
The Dark Web offers a chilling glimpse into these activities. Hackers openly advertise stolen datasets from retailers, including customer information, orders, and payment details. The commercialization of stolen data has created a marketplace where even mid-sized retail breaches can generate substantial revenue for cybercriminals.
Interestingly, SOCRadar’s report found no significant cyberattack data from countries south of the Sahara, raising questions about either reporting accuracy or actual attack frequency. Researchers are investigating whether this reflects a true lower incidence of attacks or gaps in monitoring and intelligence collection.
The Financial and Operational Impact
Retailers are not just fighting data theft; they face operational disruptions, reputational damage, and potential regulatory penalties. Even short downtime can translate to millions in lost revenue, particularly during peak shopping periods.
A key insight from the report is that the retail sector’s vulnerability stems from both its operational model and its limited cybersecurity resources. With most breaches tied to financial gain, the threat is expected to grow unless businesses invest proactively in security infrastructure and adopt strategies to mitigate ransomware and data extortion risks.
Table: Top Targeted Industries in MENA (Sept 2024–Sept 2025)
| Rank | Industry | Key Threats |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Public Sector | Ransomware, phishing, malware |
| 2 | Finance | Ransomware, data theft |
| 3 | IT Services | Malware, phishing |
| 4 | Retail | Phishing, data extortion |
| 5 | Healthcare | Ransomware, data leaks |
Moving Forward
The findings highlight that retailers in the MENA region are facing a cyber threat environment once thought to be reserved for critical infrastructure. As attackers continue to exploit gaps in security, businesses are under pressure to fortify defenses, improve monitoring, and develop rapid incident response strategies.
Governments and industry bodies may also need to step in with guidance, regulations, and support to help retailers withstand these increasingly sophisticated attacks.
Cybersecurity experts warn that without urgent action, small and medium-sized retailers could continue to face escalating financial and operational risks from easily executed cyberattacks.
Retailers, policymakers, and citizens alike must recognize that these threats are not distant concerns but immediate challenges that could affect daily business and consumer trust. How will your favorite stores respond, and are they ready for the next wave of cyberattacks? Share your thoughts and discuss with friends on social media.
