There’s no doubt that today’s teams face unprecedented threats to organisational security. More staff working from home post-pandemic, an increase in cloud users and providers, and larger volumes of data passing to the cloud are just a few of the scenarios placing increased pressure on cybersecurity staff.
This means cybersecurity professionals must adopt more preventative and proactive measures to protect their core business operations. Research suggests that leading organisations want to address threat management by adopting AI-powered solutions to drive productivity, improve insights, and optimise economies of scale.
Keep reading as we dive further into how AI is driving cybersecurity solutions so teams can stay ahead of emerging threats.
The Impact of AI on Cybersecurity
There are two sides to the AI in cybersecurity coin: AI has significantly impacted cybersecurity solutions, both in terms of enhancing defensive measures and empowering attackers.
- User Authentication and Access Control. AI can play a critical role in improving user authentication mechanisms. Behaviour-based biometrics, such as voice recognition or keystroke dynamics, can be employed to verify user identities more accurately. And AI algorithms can continuously learn and adapt to user behaviour, enabling dynamic access control that adapts to the user’s risk profile.
- Threat Detection and Prevention. AI has dramatically improved the ability to detect and prevent cyber threats. Machine learning algorithms can analyse vast amounts of data, including network traffic, system logs, and user behaviour, to identify patterns and anomalies that may indicate a potential attack. AI-based systems can recognise new and emerging threats, even those previously unseen, and respond in real-time to mitigate risks.
- Advanced Malware Detection. Traditional signature-based antivirus solutions struggle to keep up with the rapid evolution of malware. AI techniques, such as behavioural analysis and heuristic scanning, can enable more effective detection of malicious software. AI models can learn from large datasets of known malware samples and identify new variants or zero-day threats based on their behaviour, file structure, or other characteristics.
- Cyber Threat Intelligence. AI processes vast amounts of cyber threat data and generates actionable insights for security analysts. AI algorithms can automatically gather, analyse, and prioritise threat intelligence from various sources, including open forums, dark web forums, and security feeds. This helps security teams identify emerging threats and take proactive measures to protect their systems before they’re struck.
- Automated Incident Response. Automated incident response processes can significantly reduce response times and improve efficiency. Additionally, AI-powered systems can analyse security alerts, determine the severity of incidents, and even autonomously execute predefined responses or mitigation actions. This allows security teams to focus on more complex and critical tasks while AI handles routine, repetitive tasks.
- Data Privacy and Compliance. AI can help ensure compliance with data privacy and regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). AI algorithms can automatically detect sensitive data in large datasets, classify it, and enforce privacy policies. This helps organisations protect personal information and maintain compliance with relevant data protection regulations.
- Adversarial AI. On the downside, AI is also being used by cyber attackers to enhance their activities. Adversarial AI involves using AI techniques to bypass or deceive security systems. Attackers can leverage AI to develop more sophisticated and evasive malware, conduct automated attacks, or create convincing social engineering campaigns. It’s critical that security teams are aware of these techniques and continuously update their systems to counter such threats.
The Pros and Cons of AI
While AI can offer businesses numerous ways to enhance their cybersecurity solutions, it also poses new challenges. Ensuring the security and integrity of AI models themselves, addressing biases in AI algorithms, and protecting AI systems from adversarial attacks are critical areas that need attention to maintain robust cybersecurity defences.
At AscentCore, we provide end-to-end product development services, including specialised expertise, in a wide cross-section of industries and solutions. With a focus on AI, we can help you leverage this technology to improve and drive your cybersecurity solutions. Reach out to us today!
