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 Speaking at the opening of the 5th Information Security and Cybersecurity Conference (CAISEC 2026), Mohamed Amin, Vice President at Dell Technologies, revealed that Egypt currently accounts for approximately 13% of all cyberattacks across the African continent, averaging about ten major attacks daily. He stressed that this alarming metric demands enhanced cooperation among all relevant stakeholders.

Amin noted that Egypt is navigating a critical phase of digital transformation under the leadership of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, running parallel to the rollout of national AI strategies. However, he warned that the rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence is directly accompanied by a massive surge in both the volume and complexity of cyber threats.

Evolving Threat Landscape and Real-World Impact Highlighting the severity of insider threats, Amin shared a case where a major organization lost all data across 35,000 devices in mere minutes. This devastating breach was executed by an insider who had been meticulously planting malware daily over several months.

Furthermore, he disclosed that a Middle Eastern bank recently suffered a cyberattack that completely halted its operations for ten full days. Such incidents underscore why traditional protection methods are no longer sufficient, especially as attackers now actively target disaster recovery systems and business continuity plans.

The Financial Toll and Boardroom Responsibility Attackers are no longer solely focused on extracting financial ransoms. Amin explained that cybercriminals are utilizing AI tools to target executive management devices, aiming to seize total control over digital systems and hijack the entire digital identity of an organization.

Consequently, cybersecurity has evolved from a purely IT-department issue into a critical strategic priority for Boards of Directors and CEOs, given the catastrophic financial losses and the severe damage to reputation and customer trust.

Providing a stark financial outlook, Amin stated that the average ransom paid for a cyber incident in Africa currently stands at $20 million. Driven by the malicious use of AI, this figure is projected to skyrocket to $200 million per incident by 2030.

Amin concluded his address by reiterating the vital need for expertise sharing and cross-sector collaboration within the cybersecurity ecosystem.