AI and Cybersecurity: A New Era

If you recently used your car’s GPS system, relied on auto-correct when writing an email or conducted an online search, chances are you’ve experienced artificial intelligence (AI).

So, let’s discuss the basics of AI, how cybersecurity teams and hackers are using AI, and how you can help keep yourself safe. 

What Is AI?

AI is a broad term that refers to the science of simulating human intelligence in machines with the goal of enabling them to think like us and mimic our actions. This would allow AI machines to perform tasks that previously only human beings could handle. For some tasks, AI may even surpass human beings.

Many AI machines attempt to determine the best way to achieve an outcome or solve a problem. They typically do this by analyzing enormous amounts of training data and then finding patterns in the data to replicate in their own decision-making.

While AI may seem futuristic, the concept behind it is believed to have begun in 1950, when British mathematician and logician Alan Turing speculated about “thinking machines” that could reason similarly to humans.¹ The term “artificial intelligence” was born a few years later.²

How AI Benefits Cybersecurity

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping nearly every industry – and cybersecurity is no exception. A recent research report estimated the global market for AI-based cybersecurity products was about $15 billion in 2021 and will surge to roughly $135 billion by 2030.³

Cybersecurity organizations increasingly rely on AI in conjunction with more traditional tools such as antivirus protection, data-loss prevention, fraud detection, identity and access management, intrusion detection, risk management and other core security areas. Because of the nature of AI, which can analyze enormous sets of data and find patterns, AI is uniquely suited to tasks such as:

• Detecting actual attacks more accurately than humans, creating fewer false-positive results, and prioritizing responses based on their real-world risks;
• Identifying and flagging the type of suspicious emails and messages often employed in phishing campaigns;
• Simulating social engineering attacks, which help security teams spot potential vulnerabilities before cybercriminals exploit them; and
• Analyzing huge amounts of incident-related data rapidly, so that security teams can swiftly take action to contain the threat.

Additionally, AI has the potential to be a game-changing tool in penetration testing—intentionally probing the defenses of software and networks to identify weaknesses. By developing AI tools to target their own technology, organizations will be better able to identify their weaknesses before hackers can maliciously exploit them.

Having this intelligence would provide cybersecurity organizations with a significant edge in preventing future attacks. Stopping breaches before they occur would not only help protect the data of individuals and companies, but also lower IT costs for businesses. 

Staying Secure in a Changing AI Environment

As AI evolves, concerns about data privacy and risk management for both individuals and businesses continue to grow. Regulators are considering ways to develop AI and maximize its benefits while reducing the likelihood of negative impacts to society. However, there currently isn’t any comprehensive AI federal legislation in the United States.

So, what does all this mean to you? How do the advancements in AI impact your life from a security perspective?

Fortunately, the answer is surprisingly simple. You don’t need to learn a new set of cybersecurity rules. Instead, you should review your current cybersecurity protection and make sure it follows best practices in critical areas such as passwords, data privacy, personal cybersecurity and especially social engineering.

As always, it’s a good idea to regularly visit our Security Center for updates regarding AI and our latest cybersecurity tips. By staying secure, it makes it easier for all of us to enjoy the conveniences and other enhancements in our daily lives made possible by AI.