Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming multiple sectors, driving innovation and enhancing productivity and cybersecurity. The AI market is projected to rise from an estimated $86.9 billion in revenue in 2022 to $407 billion by 2027. This technology is reshaping industries and is expected to have a significant economic impact, with a projected 21% net increase in the US GDP by 2030. However, despite its advantages, AI also creates cybersecurity challenges in the hands of malicious actors. Businesses must navigate this complex issue to harness the benefits of AI, while safeguarding against its misuse.
Recognizing the Threat of Malicious AI
Malicious AI can cause sizable problems for cybersecurity crews. For example, its increased use in phishing attempts is a concern, as it mimics human interaction to craft targeted, convincing phishing emails. Additionally, AI can be used to identify security vulnerabilities that humans may sometimes miss and allow attackers to exploit these vulnerabilities. Many of these threats are currently still theoretical, but they are likely advancing faster than we realize.
Prioritizing Security in Product Design
In light of the growing threat of malicious AI, embedding cybersecurity principles into product design is critical. Incidents such as the Samsung data breach attributed to ChatGPT underscore the risks of sidelining security. As AI draws data from multiple sources, businesses must implement AI policies and tools like mobile device management and endpoint protection software to prevent misuse. Prioritizing security from the outset of product development is key to building user trust.
Achieving Collaboration Among Teams
While dedicated cybersecurity teams are common in enterprise companies, security remains a collective responsibility for all employees. A vigorous approach to security requires collaboration across departments to keep everyone aligned with best practices. Security awareness training is one of the best ways organizations can remind their employees about their responsibilities when it comes to cyber security risks. Paying attention to suspicious emails and protecting corporate credentials are some of the best practices employees may need training on. Dedicated product security managers, working with competent, collaborative teams can ensure companies continuously update their security measures and deploy AI to identify vulnerabilities effectively.
Guarding Against AI Exploitation
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT have changed how people work and improved productivity, but their ability to simulate human communication poses risks. While no AI-specific security regulations exist yet, initiatives like ISO’s AI cybersecurity framework are in the works. Additionally, discussions are taking place about using AI to automate processes like network penetration tests, because it can identify vulnerabilities as well as human experts do. Due to AI’s “new” nature, many organizations are implementing internal AI policies to control how their employees and systems interact with AI. Some are even completely banning the use of generative AI tools to guard themselves against exploitation. These initiatives reflect the industry’s commitment to secure AI use.
Streamlining Cybersecurity with AI Automation
Businesses are using automation more and more for cybersecurity. While tools like AI perform security tasks faster, no automation solution can guarantee 100% accuracy. Over-reliance on automation can lead to assumptions that might not fit every scenario. Regular audits and human oversight are essential to ensure the effectiveness of AI tools.
AI significantly speeds up certain tasks, such as responding to lengthy security questionnaires or RFQs. These can often be long, with some containing over 1000 questions. Businesses can answer these much faster with AI, saving both time and human resources.
In addition, incorporating AI into intrusion detection can enable systems to go beyond simple rule-checking to identify suspicious user behavior and network activity. For example, if a high-privilege user behaves unusually, AI can promptly sound the alert.
Navigating Compliance and Ethics in AI
As AI-driven security measures become more common, companies must follow existing regulations like GDPR and CCPA. These regulations are designed to protect user data and privacy, and any AI system, including security protocols, must adhere to them. AI can benefit cybersecurity only if it does not compromise user privacy or data protection standards. Compliance with regulations safeguards users and protects organizations from potential legal fallout.
Ethical considerations are also paramount for companies implementing AI in cybersecurity. While enforcing information security policies is advisable, it’s equally important to ensure employees understand and acknowledge them. This understanding gives organizations a level of assurance. If employees act against the policies, companies have a foundation for actions ranging from disciplinary measures to potential termination.
Anticipating an AI-Driven Cybersecurity Future
A lot is happening that is very exciting. Integrating AI with technologies like IoT and blockchain presents both opportunities and risks. Quantum computing’s potential, though still in the early stages, promises computational power that can both bolster AI’s capabilities and pose threats if misused. The tech world is abuzz with the potential of deep learning AI and LLMs, especially for automation.
AI’s future role in cybersecurity is undeniable, but it offers promise and peril for companies. Enterprise organizations must find a way forward, benefitting from its strengths while staying vigilant against its potential pitfalls.
About the Author
Metin Kortak has been working as the Chief Information Security Officer at Rhymetec since 2017. He started out his career working in IT Security and gained extensive knowledge on compliance and data privacy frameworks such as: SOC; ISO 27001; PCI; FEDRAMP; NIST 800-53; GDPR; CCPA; HITRUST and HIPAA.
Metin joined Rhymetec to build the Data Privacy and Compliance as a service offering and under his leadership, the service offerings have grown to more than 200 customers and is now a leading SaaS security service provider in the industry. Metin splits his time between his homes in California and New York City and in his free time, he enjoys traveling, exercising, and spending quality time with his friends.
Metin can be reached online at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkortak/ and at his company website https://rhymetec.com/
