AI is a double-edged sword. While it enables enterprises to strengthen their security posture, it also equips threat actors to conduct more catastrophic, automated, and organized attacks at scale. A McKinsey study shows that 53% of enterprises worry that generative AI is driving new cybersecurity risks.
Where traditional cybersecurity methods rely on human intuition, signature, or rule-based detection systems, AI takes a proactive approach by analyzing patterns, comprehending historical data, mitigating anomalies, and predicting potential cyber threats.
Using AI in Strengthening Cybersecurity
Growing attack surfaces, an increase in remote workforce, and mounting data resulting from digitization are some of the primary reasons for the rise in cyber threats in recent years. Traditional cybersecurity approaches aren’t sufficient in thwarting these attacks, mandating the integration of AI in protecting sensitive data, systems, and networks.
AI can detect and learn new patterns of cybercrime, becoming more aware of emerging threats. It can then block these anomalies by distinguishing between normal and suspicious traffic. AI is also capable of deep learning, which allows it to comprehend complex patterns, identify unknown attacks, and take countermeasures (isolate affected networks and systems and block suspicious traffic in milliseconds).
For instance, AI can help detect phishing emails by analyzing a vast amount of emails and detecting fraud or suspicious emails based on their content and structure.
As attack surfaces continue to grow, endpoint protection is becoming increasingly essential. AI can help organizations protect their endpoints by detecting vulnerabilities, identifying new malware, and preventing unauthorized access to data. Additionally, AI can monitor endpoint activity for unusual behavior and alert IT teams to potential threats early on.
Furthermore, AI can predict future threats by analyzing large amounts of data, identifying new patterns, and learning from historical data. This allows businesses to identify their most vulnerable data, systems, and networks and allocate resources to protect them.
AI can also enable enterprises to maintain data and regulatory compliance. While threats can emerge externally, failure to adhere to data compliance internally can also result in catastrophes for businesses. This is especially true for highly regulated industries like healthcare, where collection, management, and storage of data should be in alignment with compliance.
Final words
AI is transforming the cybersecurity landscape. AI-powered solutions can detect threats faster and more accurately than traditional methods, and they can also help businesses predict and prioritize risks. This can lead to significant cost savings and time savings, as well as reduced risk of cyberattacks.
However, it is important to note that AI is not a replacement for human security teams. AI can be a valuable tool for security teams, but it is essential to have the right processes and procedures in place to manage and interpret AI-generated results.
As with any cybersecurity measure, it is also important to have basic hygiene measures in place before implementing AI solutions. This includes things like having strong passwords, educating employees about security best practices, and keeping software up to date.
Overall, AI has the potential to be a game-changer in the fight against cybercrime. By embracing AI, businesses can strengthen their security posture and protect themselves from a wide range of threats.
(The author is Mr. Shibu Paul, Vice President – International Sales at Array Networks, and the views expressed in this article are his own)
