Is AI a threat to the digital safety of businesses?

Artificial intelligence is one of the world’s hottest topics at the moment, with opinions being highly polarized. While some are convinced that artificial intelligence is the best thing in the world and that it will take human beings to new heights, many are more concerned about the issues AI could create or exacerbate including data privacy, deepfakes, lack of transparency and accountability, mass unemployment as a result of human workers becoming obsolete at a very fast rate or simple because they are deemed inefficient compared to AI, and the possibility of the technology being used to fuel terrorism.

The simplest definition of AI is that it is a computer system with the ability to perform tasks reminiscent of human intelligence, like learning, decision-making, problem-solving, and reasoning. As an academic discipline, AI dates back to the mid-1950s, but throughout its history, the field navigated several periods during which it lost its funding, colloquially referred to as AI winters. In the early 2010s, graphics processing units began to be used to accelerate deep learning, an innovation that accelerated after 2017 with the rise of transformer architecture. In the 2020s, AI has made its most significant progress to date, with the current period being referred to as an AI boom.

While there’s no denying the benefits AI can bring, many remain apprehensive about the possibility of having it used for malicious purposes. Business owners fearing for the well-being of their enterprises are at the forefront.

Can AI be a cybersecurity threat?

To put it simply, yes, AI can unfortunately be used for nefarious purposes. Cybercriminals can use the technology to make their attacks much more sophisticated and efficient, personalizing them so that they target the specific vulnerabilities of every single enterprise they target. These actions would typically take a lot of time and resources, but using artificial intelligence allows the hackers to complete the task much faster. The issue is that the digital threats created with the help of AI are also much more convincing than standard malware or phishing emails.

Since they typically include deepfakes and other types of fabricated content, figuring out what’s real and what isn’t is more and more difficult, especially for those who aren’t trained and are dealing with these things for the first time. AI can also assist attackers with carrying out much more effective reconnaissance so that high-value targets are identified. It is also much simpler to process large quantities of data with the help of AI.

Investing in defense  

Protecting your company is of paramount importance, especially if you’re a small business owner. The large corporations can be targeted and would be impacted as well, but for a small business, this could signal the end of all operations. Not only would solving the breach be a lengthy and costly endeavor, but the trust your customers have placed in you would be entirely gone, and retrieving it could be close to impossible, especially if their own bank accounts were targeted, a common feature of data breaches. This is why it is important to invest in prevention and defense. And all robust cybersecurity defenses start with a robust password.

Using an enterprise password manager will help generate and store entirely unique passwords for all the accounts you use. Having the same credentials or very similar ones is a huge issue, as it allows hackers to access multiple systems by compromising just one account.  All employees should use the technology just to make sure that they’re all on the same page. Keeping systems patched and upgraded is also a must, and your IT provider should never miss any of this maintenance work. All the software, applications, and operating systems you use must be updated to address the vulnerabilities that AI-powered malware could exploit.

On top of that, you will have to carry out security awareness training for your employees. When the entire team is aware of the specifics of AI threats and more knowledgeable about issues such as voice cloning, deepfakes, and sophisticated phishing attempts, you add an extra layer of protection for your systems and procedures, as your employees won’t fall for suspicious communications as easily. Lastly, make sure to integrate multi-factor authentication everywhere, as the tool can prevent unauthorized access even if your passwords end up being compromised.

AI security

While artificial intelligence can be used for malicious purposes, it can also be employed as part of cybersecurity defenses. After all, fighting fire with fire can be helpful, and since AI is so complex and can be used for so many different purposes, it makes sense that the only tool that could withstand its effects would be another AI-based system. Artificial intelligence can enhance and fully automate your cybersecurity operations so that they’re more efficient. Threats are detected and solved in real-time with this technology, and your networks also become more proactive about hunting the threats.

If incidents occur, you can be sure that they are managed in a streamlined fashion as a result of the analysis of broad datasets that can identify anomalies and enable fast and accurate decision-making processes. There are several different kinds of tools available, so to determine which are the best for your company, you will need to conduct an audit that allows you to assess your company’s needs. For instance, some of them utilize machine learning to detect and respond to novel trends in both cloud environments and across networks.

An AI SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) unites detection with examinations and threat responses. Some artificial intelligence solutions specialize in NDR (network detection and response) in order to provide a tailored approach to every single threat, while others integrate data from several security sources to have a more comprehensive approach.

To sum up, while the threat of artificial intelligence malware is serious and shouldn’t be ignored, there are also several things you can do in order to safeguard the well-being of your business. Having strong passwords, investing in employee training and customized AI tools, network segmentation, and ensuring that your IT department is up to date with management and administration are the most straightforward but also the most efficient methods you can implement.

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Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.