Cybersecurity experts have warned of a growing gap between the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the readiness of institutional security systems to address emerging digital threats. During a session titled “The Great Cybersecurity Reset: Defending an AI-Driven World” at the 30th edition of Cairo ICT 2026, industry specialists highlighted the challenges facing organizations in adapting their cybersecurity strategies, emphasizing the importance of governance, awareness, faster response mechanisms, and stronger data protection measures.
The session was moderated by Sameh Abdelrahman Salem, Vice President of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) for Cybersecurity Affairs and CEO of EG-CERT. Participants included Shereif Shaltout of Liquid C2, Yahia El-Gohary of eFinance, Beshoy Wasfy, Senior Information Security Manager at Cyshield, Ahmed Tharwat of International Group, and Youssef Badr, Cybersecurity Consultant at Thales.
Shereif Shaltout highlighted the significant progress made in artificial intelligence adoption, particularly in software development, banking operations, and customer connectivity. He explained that AI-powered solutions have increasingly enabled banks to accelerate processes and notify customers of potential risks, developments that have gained momentum over the past year. However, he noted that AI adoption remains incomplete, with organizations still struggling to translate its growing capabilities into fully operational security systems.
Shaltout pointed out that vulnerability discovery and disclosure have become significantly faster, but the broader cybersecurity ecosystem continues to suffer from slow response mechanisms. While AI can outperform humans in certain capabilities, he stressed that effective data and information protection requires cooperation between human expertise and artificial intelligence rather than relying exclusively on either.
Beshoy Wasfy emphasized that governance frameworks and security controls already exist, with organizations continuing to develop and implement the necessary measures. However, he noted that many institutions have yet to reach the level of readiness required to use AI more rapidly in making cybersecurity decisions, pointing out that some countries have already made greater progress in this area. He also stressed that cybersecurity awareness remains essential across all organizational levels.
During the discussion, Islam Ahmed highlighted the importance of approaching AI-driven cybersecurity through an intelligence-led perspective, particularly by understanding how attackers operate, develop scripts, and prepare their attacks. He explained that organizations should build on previous experiences rather than start from scratch, following developments in other markets and learning from how neighboring countries address cybersecurity challenges.
In the banking sector, for example, monitoring the measures adopted by other countries can help institutions identify relevant technologies, strengthen their teams, and develop solutions suited to their own environments. Ahmed added that cybersecurity professionals must continuously monitor emerging threats and understand the technologies used by attackers to determine the most effective ways to respond.
Addressing financial fraud, Islam Ahmed warned that cybercriminals increasingly rely on publicly available online information to identify and target selected banking customers from thousands of potential victims. He explained that fraudsters can use voice imitation to impersonate people familiar to their targets, making fraudulent calls more convincing and difficult to identify.
As these methods continue to evolve, banks that fail to keep pace with technological developments and emerging fraud techniques risk becoming less effective in protecting their customers. Ahmed stressed that banks must stay one step ahead of fraudsters by strengthening their detection capabilities and continuously educating customers about potential threats.
He also advised customers to avoid sharing personal or banking information with callers and, instead, request information from the person contacting them to verify their identity. He warned that fraudsters may deliberately use accurate personal details to gain a customer’s trust, confuse them, and persuade them to disclose additional banking information.
Yahia El-Gohary stressed that organizations must prepare in advance for emerging risks as their reliance on artificial intelligence increases. He warned that using AI without appropriate governance could expose institutions to threats and vulnerabilities for which they are not adequately prepared.
He noted that AI has made certain cybersecurity processes easier and enabled organizations to examine potential risks more deeply. However, he emphasized that institutions must focus on implementing the necessary security measures more quickly instead of allowing administrative procedures to delay responses to emerging threats.
El-Gohary also referred to patterns he had observed across government platforms, including the data requested from users, notifications received, and collected invoices, noting that these developments did not necessarily represent obstacles to digital operations. He added that organizations across sectors are increasingly turning to AI, while vulnerability detection has become considerably easier through these technologies.
The priority, he argued, should be accelerating the implementation of security procedures to avoid unnecessary delays that could disrupt services, including insurance platforms. He further highlighted the need for faster cybersecurity awareness initiatives supported by training, revealing that an AI Council project exists within his organization and requires further review to assess the progress achieved so far.
Youssef Badr, Cybersecurity Consultant at Thales, emphasized the importance of encrypting communication channels as a fundamental measure for protecting sensitive information. He argued that cyberattacks can occur even when organizations have not necessarily made mistakes, making proactive data protection essential. Rather than waiting for attackers to obtain sensitive information and potentially use it for blackmail, individuals and institutions should take measures to secure their data in advance.
Badr identified the use of high-quality, non-shared encryption keys as one of the most important safeguards against unauthorized access. He illustrated the importance of proper key management by comparing cybersecurity to constructing a highly secure building with advanced doors: even the strongest physical security measures become ineffective if the key is left in the door.
The discussion highlighted that as artificial intelligence makes cyberattacks and vulnerability discovery increasingly sophisticated, organizations must strengthen their governance frameworks, accelerate security responses, invest in awareness, and adopt robust encryption practices to protect their digital infrastructure.
Cairo ICT is one of the region’s leading telecommunications and information technology industry events. The 30th edition is being held under the patronage of Egypt’s Prime Minister, with a focus on practical AI applications, improving service delivery, enhancing business efficiency, and supporting innovation across different sectors.
The accompanying events include the third edition of the AI, Data Centers and Cloud Computing exhibition and conference (AIDC²), the 13th edition of the Digital Payments and Financial Inclusion exhibition and conference (PAFIX), held under the auspices of the Central Bank of Egypt, and the sixth edition of Connecta, dedicated to gaming, smart devices, and entertainment technology. The Innovation Arena also provides startups and entrepreneurs with an opportunity to showcase their solutions, connect with investors, and engage with business partners and organizations supporting innovation.
