AI Reshapes Cybersecurity Landscape as Experts Warn of a New Era of Misinformation and Decentralized Data
At the 29th edition of Cairo ICT, held at the Egypt International Exhibition Center under the theme “AI Everywhere,” cybersecurity leaders and industry experts warned that artificial intelligence is redefining the global security landscape and accelerating the rise of sophisticated cyberthreats.
The session, titled “Cybersecurity Everywhere in the Age of AI – Protecting Data in Increasingly Complex Environments,” explored how AI-driven technologies are reshaping data protection, threat detection, and enterprise security models.
Moderated by Mohamed El Garf, Business Development Manager for East Africa at Fortinet, the discussion examined the rapid transformation brought forth by AI adoption—and the parallel escalation in cyber risks.
AI Amplifies Threats… and Data Needs Smarter Protection
Ahmed Ashraf, Senior Solutions Engineer at Kaspersky, highlighted how AI has fundamentally changed the nature of cyberthreats. He explained that AI systems are now capable of generating highly convincing audio, visual, and text-based content that can accurately mimic individuals and institutions.
He noted a marked increase in AI-enabled cyberattacks across sectors, stressing the need for advanced tools to distinguish between genuine and fabricated digital content. While AI is essential for modern cybersecurity—especially in processing and analyzing vast datasets—Ashraf warned that these same capabilities can be weaponized if not properly secured.
Decentralized Data: A Growing Challenge
Hazem Meftah, Director of Sales Engineering at Forcepoint, said organizations are now facing a transformative shift: data is no longer centralized. As enterprises adopt distributed architectures, the challenge lies in classifying data, defining access levels, and applying AI responsibly within stringent security frameworks.
He added that AI is increasingly targeting insights and patterns, not just data itself—creating new vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit.
Zero Trust: The New Imperative
Sally Ansi Fahim, Regional Systems Engineering Manager at Silicon21, emphasized that a unified vision for managing cyber risk is essential in the age of AI. She identified the Zero Trust model—based on verifying every access request—as a critical foundation for modern cybersecurity.
Fahim stressed the need to secure data throughout its lifecycle—preparation, storage, and transmission—while expanding security awareness programs to match evolving digital attack patterns, especially in service-based industries.
Hackers Are Now Using AI Too
Andrew Emile, Red Team Lead at Liquid C2, warned that attackers are rapidly adopting AI to enhance offensive capabilities. He described data as “the most critical asset within any organization,” noting that its value and sensitivity make it a prime target for advanced threat actors.
He urged organizations to elevate awareness and defensive readiness in line with the accelerating pace of AI-driven attacks.
Cairo ICT 2025: A Regional Technology Hub
The Cairo ICT 2025 exhibition and conference runs from 16–19 November, under the patronage of Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology. This year’s edition hosts more than 500 exhibitors, alongside leading ministries, regulatory bodies, and government institutions.
Cairo ICT 2025 features five major specialized events:
PAFIX – The 12th International Exhibition and Conference on Digital Payments & Financial Inclusion (under the patronage of the Central Bank of Egypt)
AIDC – The AI, Data Centers & Cloud Computing Conference (under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Connecta – Youth, Gaming & Entertainment Technologies
Innovation Arena – Startup and innovation showcase
Cyber Zone – A dedicated cybersecurity forum across two locations inside the exhibition
Participating entities include the Ministry of Communications and IT, the Central Bank of Egypt, the Financial Regulatory Authority, the National Telecom Regulatory Authority, ITIDA, Egypt Post, the Arab Organization for Industrialization, and Future of Egypt Agency as Guest of Honor.
The event is sponsored by Dell Technologies, eFinance Group, WB Engineers + Consultants, CIB, Huawei, Orange Egypt, EgyptAir, Egypt Trust, Mastercard, Medar, and Fortinet, in addition to Salesforce, Benya Group, Khazna, the National Bank of Egypt, AAIB, Bank of Alexandria, Shaker Group, ICT Misr, IoT Misr, Network International, and Meinhardt.