Dell Technologies VP Warns: Cyber Attacks Now Aim for Total System Control, Not Just Ransom

Mohamed Amin, Vice President of Dell Technologies Global, shared that Egypt is going through a really important phase in its digital transformation journey, led by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. This is happening alongside the rollout of AI strategies. He stressed that as AI technologies are adopted faster, we're also seeing a big jump in the number and complexity of cyber threats. Speaking at the fifth edition of the CAISEC 2026 Information Security and Cybersecurity Conference, he mentioned a shocking incident where a major organization lost all data stored on about 35,000 devices in just minutes. This happened because an employee inside the organization secretly planted malicious software daily over several months. This really shows how dangerous insider threats can be and the devastating impact they have on businesses. He explained that organizations worldwide face increasing hacking attempts every single day. Attackers aren't just focused on getting ransom money anymore; they're now aiming for complete control over an organization's digital systems. They're even using AI tools to get into executive leaders' devices and take over the entire organization's digital identity. Amin emphasized that traditional protection methods just aren't enough to handle these modern threats. This is especially true as attackers are now targeting disaster recovery systems and business continuity plans, which is one of the biggest challenges businesses are dealing with right now. Mohamed Amin also revealed that a bank in the Middle East recently suffered a cyberattack that shut down its operations for a full ten days. He highlighted how crucial it is to rely on proactive and detective analytics to spot breaches and deal with them early on. He added that cybersecurity isn't just an IT department issue anymore. It's become a strategic priority for boards and CEOs, given the financial losses and negative impacts on reputation and customer trust that attacks can cause. Amin pointed out that Egypt accounts for about 13% of all cyberattacks in Africa, with roughly 10 attacks happening daily. This means we really need to boost cooperation among all involved parties to tackle these growing challenges. He noted that the average ransomware payment in Africa is currently around $20 million per incident. He expects this number to skyrocket to $200 million by 2030, especially with attackers rapidly increasing their use of AI. Finally, he stressed the importance of sharing expertise and collaborating among all key players in the cybersecurity ecosystem, expressing his pleasure to participate in the fifth annual CAISEC 2026 Information Security and Cybersecurity Summit.