Page 59 - Cyber Defense eMagazine February 2024

That’s why security awareness training (SAT) is vital. Phishing simulation campaigns can educate your
employee-base about cutting-edge techniques and test their ability to recognize the real-world tactics of
a modern-day phishing scam. The results might be illuminating, but with more practice, failure rates do
decline. One global manufacturer saw phishing click-through rates drop from nearly 40% to under 15%
after a SAT program.

Conclusion

Is AI changing the game for phishing? Yes, but the change is going both ways. In a way, we’re back to
square one as we resume the cat-and-mouse game that is cybersecurity, but with race cars, if you will.
The important thing is that the race hasn’t been won yet.

As we continue to explore the varied uses of artificial intelligence, we can combine those capabilities with
everybody’s secret weapons – yes, humans. The human element is not to be underestimated; not on
security teams, and not among everyday employees. Two of the biggest weapons attackers have are
ignorance and casualness, and by levelling up the security-mindedness of the average workforce, we
can drastically reduce those and cut down on human error. Given the fact that AI cybersecurity tools can
already stand toe-to-toe with AI-based phishing attacks, the difference may be enough to tip the scale.

About the Author

Antonio Sanchez is Principal Cybersecurity Evangelist at Fortra. As a subject
matter expert for Fortra’s security portfolio, Antonio helps drive market
recognition for the Fortra brand. He joined Fortra from Alert Logic in 2023, where
he developed the messaging, positioning, and technical content for the Managed
Detection and Response (MDR) business. Alert Logic was acquired by Fortra in
2022.

Antonio has over 20 years in the IT industry focusing on cybersecurity,
information management, and disaster recovery solutions to help organizations of all sizes manage
threats and improve their security posture. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional
(CISSP).

Antonio has held various product management, technical sales, and strategic marketing roles with Dell,
Forcepoint, and Symantec. At the latter, he was responsible for developing and leading the Competitive
Intelligence Program for the core security unit.

www.fortra.com

Cyber Defense eMagazine – February 2024 Edition 59
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