Elias Samarani, Manager for System Engineer, Proofpoint Middle East, highlighted Proofpoint’s commitment to helping organizations embrace AI securely, emphasizing how its advanced protection solutions safeguard people and data against evolving threats while driving resilience and digital confidence.
You’ve been with Proofpoint for six years now. How has your journey been, and what technological changes have you witnessed during this time?
When I started six years ago, Proofpoint was primarily recognized as an email security company. Over the years, the platform has evolved tremendously to become a comprehensive cybersecurity solution. Today, we go far beyond email — our portfolio now addresses the entire spectrum of cybersecurity challenges organizations face. One of the biggest priorities for enterprises today is protecting their people and defending their data. As cyber threats continue to evolve, we’ve continuously innovated our platform to ensure that our customers are safeguarded against increasingly sophisticated attacks. Through conversations with CISOs and security leaders in the region, it’s clear that user safety and data protection remain top concerns. That’s where Proofpoint has made its mark — evolving to meet these modern threats while ensuring organizations can operate safely in the digital age.
AI has transformed every aspect of technology, and cybersecurity is no exception. How has Proofpoint adapted its solutions in response to AI?
AI is no longer a buzzword — it’s a reality that’s reshaping the cybersecurity landscape. Attackers are using AI to launch faster, more sophisticated attacks, and organizations must respond with the same agility. While AI enhances productivity and efficiency, it also introduces new risks that businesses must manage. At Proofpoint, we recognized this early on and have been adapting our solutions to address the changing threat environment.
Our approach ensures that organizations can harness AI’s power for productivity while keeping their data and systems secure. We focus on protecting organizations from the risks that come with using AI — such as data exposure or misuse — while helping them adopt these technologies responsibly. Our Data Protection Platform safeguards sensitive information, ensuring that organizations can embrace AI without compromising security.
You mentioned agentic AI, which introduces a new set of challenges. How does Proofpoint address risks like AI poisoning or manipulation?
That’s a critical point. At Proofpoint, one of our biggest strengths is that we’re not new to AI — we’ve been using it for years to strengthen our protection capabilities. Our Nexus AI Platform is powered by vast amounts of real-world data gathered from monitoring over a trillion data points each year, including phishing attempts, email compromises, and data leaks. This wealth of data helps train our AI models to detect and respond to threats with greater accuracy.
AI systems are only as good as the data they’re trained on. Because Proofpoint already protects a large portion of the Fortune 100, we have a massive and relevant data set that gives our AI a significant edge. This allows us to detect emerging threats earlier and more effectively than others. As attackers leverage AI to evade defenses, our AI-powered systems help organizations stay one step ahead — using AI to fight AI.
Many organizations struggle with AI adoption due to lack of infrastructure and trained manpower. How is Proofpoint helping them overcome these challenges?
That’s an important concern. AI adoption can be daunting, especially for organizations that lack the expertise or infrastructure to manage it effectively. To address this, Proofpoint has developed a robust Security Awareness and Education program. We’re helping customers and users understand how to use AI tools safely and responsibly within their organizations.
Our training content now includes modules specifically focused on AI — how to interact with agentic AI safely, how to avoid risks such as data exposure, and how to ensure compliance. In addition, we’re introducing our own secure AI agents that integrate seamlessly into customer environments, ensuring that their AI interactions remain safe and controlled.
What message would you like to share with organizations about why they should choose Proofpoint?
Proofpoint is committed to helping organizations stay secure and resilient in the age of AI. Our message has always been clear — we empower businesses to embrace AI safely and confidently. With our advanced protection technologies, we enable enterprises to safeguard their people, defend their data, and stay ahead of evolving AI-driven threats. At GITEX, we showcased how Proofpoint’s innovations are redefining cybersecurity, helping organizations strengthen their defenses, build trust, and drive productivity in an increasingly connected world.
What’s the roadmap for Proofpoint’s agentic AI — especially in terms of enabling communication between different AI agents?
That’s a great question. While our AI agents currently operate within an organization’s own domain, our goal is interoperability — allowing them to safely interact with other AI systems without introducing new risks. Our new AI gateway platform has taken a big step in that direction. This solution acts as a secure layer that integrates with existing agentic AI systems to ensure safe data exchange and prevent sensitive information from being exposed.
The platform can scan AI interactions for potential vulnerabilities or data leaks and provide protection even when third-party agents are involved. Essentially, it allows organizations to collaborate using multiple AI systems while maintaining full control and visibility over data security.
Do organizations need to upgrade their hardware or systems to adopt your agentic AI solutions?
No, there’s absolutely no need for hardware upgrades. Our solutions are designed for seamless integration through APIs, ensuring compatibility with both modern and legacy systems. Whether an organization runs on Windows, Linux, or other environments, our agent integrates natively without additional infrastructure requirements.
With Microsoft officially ending support for Windows 10, will this affect Proofpoint’s compatibility or performance?
Not at all. Our agents are already compatible with the latest operating systems, and we continuously update them to stay aligned with new versions, whether Windows or Linux. For organizations still using Windows 10, our existing agents will continue to function securely until they upgrade, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted experience.
Finally, how do you see the future of AI-driven cybersecurity evolving?
AI is undoubtedly reshaping cybersecurity — both as a tool for attackers and defenders. The key lies in using AI responsibly and ensuring that it’s grounded in strong data protection principles. At Proofpoint, our vision is to empower organizations to leverage AI safely, maximize productivity, and minimize risk.
We believe the future will see more collaboration between AI systems, and our goal is to ensure that this collaboration happens securely. Cybersecurity is no longer just about defense; it’s about enabling safe innovation — and that’s exactly where Proofpoint is leading the way.