Sharing confidential data with AI platforms carries real risks, says Tim de Groot, General Manager for Benelux, the Nordics, and North West & Central Africa at Kaspersky

Protection against cybercrime is a concern that affects everyone – from individuals to businesses and governments. As our lives and work become increasingly digital, the risks of data theft, financial loss, and attacks on critical infrastructure grow, making cybersecurity an essential part of daily life. This topic is one of the central themes at GITEX Africa 2026, one of the world’s most important events in digital technology. Kaspersky is an international cybersecurity company founded in 1997 by Eugene Kaspersky. Originally focused on antivirus software, it has grown into a global player, providing solutions for end users, businesses, and governments. Its core strength lies in deep expertise and global visibility into cyberthreats, combining advanced technologies like EDR, SIEM, MDR, and AI with an international network of specialists. With over 15 years of experience, Tim de Groot, General Manager for Benelux, Nordic, and North West & Central Africa at Kaspersky, oversees operations, B2B sales, and digital marketing. Originally from the Netherlands, he studied international business and lived in France and Spain during his internships. Tim explains that he feels deeply connected to the company and its mission of protecting people, businesses, and their digital environments. He believes that through his work, he makes a real difference in helping people stay secure. In this interview, we discuss the impact of geopolitics on cybersecurity, the role of AI, business challenges, and defense strategies across different regions of the world. Interview: Irina Rybalchenko, Marrakech You are participating in GITEX Africa 2026. Which new cybersecurity technologies have you brought to the event? The market is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and stronger cybersecurity measures are needed to protect companies. One major trend we see today is endpoint detection and response (EDR), alongside managed security services, which allow us to protect company infrastructure around the clock. Another area experiencing significant growth is industrial cybersecurity. Many critical infrastructures, as well as industrial and production facilities, still rely on outdated systems such as Windows XP or Windows 2000, and we are able to protect these machines as well. Many industries remain vulnerable to attacks on their infrastructure, and our role is to help safeguard them against these industrial cyber threats. Do you see Africa, the Middle East and other emerging markets becoming more independent players in global cybersecurity? I see heavy investment coming especially from Africa. The development of Africa is rapidly growing. If you look, for instance, at the compound annual growth rate for many countries in Africa, it is skyrocketing. So I think a lot of steps are needed in Africa to develop faster and to reach the same level as many other countries in the world. Morocco is one of the most important hubs in Africa, and there are several other places where we see growth potential. So Africa is definitely a growth region. Is cybersecurity becoming part of a new geopolitical architecture? What is your point of view? I would say that for us, geopolitics is a part of day-to-day business. It’s not just Kaspersky, we see geopolitics being part of everyday business for many companies. Any company that wants to do business is facing, one way or another, geopolitical challenges. Unfortunately, this is a big and growing concern. For us, cybercrime is an international problem. The cybercrime doesn’t know borders. So when you want to fight cybercrime, you need to work together. With geopolitics, cybercrime is kind of winning. So for us, we push for collaboration. We work together with Interpol. We work together with AFRIPOL. We want to work together with governments and everybody to fight cybercrime, because we can’t do it alone. Can we say that the world moves toward greater digital sovereignty? And what risks might come with that? I think sovereignty plays an important part, but I think it is still developing. Every day the world changes, so it’s a little hard to say exactly where this is going. It’s difficult to say where this will end up, but every time we see something happening in the world, a lot of things are affected. Why has cybersecurity become an everyday issue for ordinary people? I think the biggest threat for many people is the loss of money, or the loss of their digital identity. There is also a big and growing problem of data being stored by companies. How are they protecting that data? It can end up exposed and be used in attacks on your finances, your pictures, your personal data. Many years ago, when I started at Kaspersky 15 years ago, people used to say: “Why do we need cybersecurity? It’s not needed. I never have an incident.” Now it is part of day-to-day life. People need to be trained. They need to understand what kinds of attacks exist. It has become part of the basic principles of understanding what is going on. I think there is still a lot of learning needed, both for consumers and businesses, about how they can be protected. What types of cyberattacks do you expect to grow this year and in the near future? I think what we see now is a lot of data leaks. A lot of cybercriminals are attacking consumers. I think this is one of the biggest problems. There is a lot of data leakage from big companies, and this can be used for phishing attacks. I think ransomware attacks are still a growing problem too. It is a combination, but I think for consumers especially, phishing attacks are the most critical and the most impactful attacks that can happen. What advice could you give to ordinary people to protect themselves? First of all, use some type of cybersecurity protection. And try to think before you click. Sometimes things look like you got an email from the bank, or you receive a phone call that sounds a little bit strange. People need to understand that sometimes it could be an attack. Think before you act. I think this is the best advice. Some questions about artificial intelligence. How is AI reshaping the cyber risk landscape in the world? I think it is getting more advanced. For instance, if you look at phishing attempts – in the past, you could spot a phishing attempt quite easily because there was bad spelling, wrong images, and so on. But now, with the use of artificial intelligence, emails look really sophisticated and professional. It is much more difficult now to spot phishing attacks. So this is one example of how artificial intelligence is reshaping attacks. It will develop more, but in turn, we are also developing our skills to protect against it. Has AI become a new challenge for cybersecurity? Yes and no. Artificial intelligence is something we need to embrace. It’s there, and we need to work with it. Cybercriminals are using it, but we are using it as well. So it becomes a matter of who has the more advanced technology. It is technology-driven. We use large language models and artificial intelligence as well to provide protection. So it is the side with the most experience and knowledge that will be stronger in the fight against cybercrime. Where is artificial intelligence truly improving threat detection, and where is it still being overhyped? I think AI is, in a way, hyped. Everybody is talking about AI. The best word to start selling products today is “AI.” To some extent, AI is contributing to security. We use AI and learning models to protect many things. But at the same time, some buzzwords are being used too much. Companies do need to invest in AI, because threat actors use it as well. So yes, it is a little bit hyped, but on the other hand, it is still part of future development. What is the biggest mistake companies make when introducing artificial intelligence into security operations? I think artificial intelligence is not the sole solution to any problem. AI can be a solution, but it is not the only solution. You still need expertise and people doing the work. This is also part of the company philosophy. Artificial intelligence is there to help protection and to strengthen protection. But human work still needs to happen. Artificial intelligence can take away part of the daily work, but you still need human expertise to provide real protection. From a cybersecurity perspective, is it safe to share sensitive documents on AI platforms like DeepSeek or ChatGPT? It really depends on the type of information you’re sharing. Documents such as contracts, legal drafts, or any material you wouldn’t want to be public should never be uploaded to AI chat platforms. I use these tools myself, for instance, to check spelling or text formatting. But for contracts or other sensitive materials, I avoid it entirely. Sharing such data carries real risks, because confidential information can be exposed. There have been cases where companies uploaded internal data, and competitors later found similar information through AI. For example, if a competitor’s marketing plan was uploaded, AI could potentially reveal parts of it. We’ve also seen instances in the Netherlands where governmental entities uploaded large volumes of customer data. This is extremely risky and should never be done. Which cybersecurity products can we expect to see on the market in the near future? Products are becoming increasingly sophisticated. In the past, solutions focused mainly on endpoints, but today we also have SIEM, MDR, threat intelligence, and other types of tools. This development will continue as cyber threats evolve. Are there many competitors in the cybersecurity market? Competitors are everywhere, and that’s a positive thing – no single company can cover the market alone. What’s important is collaboration. Even competitors need to work together to combat cybercrime. Essentially, there are cybercriminals on one side and defenders on the other, and it’s the responsibility of the defenders to protect users and infrastructure.The post Sharing confidential data with AI platforms carries real risks, says Tim de Groot, General Manager for Benelux, the Nordics, and North West & Central Africa at Kaspersky first appeared on All PYRENEES.