The Positive Side of AI

OVERVIEW OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 

In this day and age, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become more prevalent in society. AI is essentially the development of systems to execute tasks that would normally be done manually by a human being.  From vacuums to Siri, AI has allowed us to live in a more hands-free world where numerous tasks have been automated for us. It has not only automated countless tedious tasks to provide convenience in our lives, but it also has helped make our lives a lot easier. With the touch of a button, our entire houses could be cleaned, and with the sound of our voice, we can receive directions to any destination. But despite the numerous capabilities AI has allotted us, it can accomplish even more feats in the realm of cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity is a constantly moving target as those in the field work relentlessly to protect against and mitigate the threats of tomorrow. Now, with the introduction and development of AI, a wide array of new and complex threats has also risen, such as deepfake technology; AI products that, “aren’t fully ready,” with a “number of issues that need to be sorted”; and a number of other methods and vulnerabilities that threat actors look to exploit. For this reason, organizations have needed to work tirelessly to defend against this new threat landscape. 

LEVERAGING AI TO PREVENT THREATS

Although AI may have come with new methods for an organization to be compromised, it has also brought a revolutionized way of mitigating and fighting against yesterday’s threat, and the threats that are to come. Due to the numerous methodologies a threat actor leverages to compromise an organization’s environment, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. This is where AI can make a difference. For example, SentinelOne has unveiled, “a revolutionary threat-hunting platform that integrates multiple layers of AI technology to deliver unparalleled security capabilities and real-time, autonomous response to attacks across the entire enterprise,” which would help organizations significantly increase their security measures.

AI has also created additional benefits to reduce the chances of threat actors successfully gaining unauthorized access to an environment, such as:

• “Avoids Human Error” which is the cause of many compromises within organizations
• “Identifies Possible Vulnerabilities Around the Clock” which would help companies address threats in a quicker and more efficient timeframe
• “Able to Utilize Huge Amounts of Data” which would allow the enterprise to analyze larger amounts of information for potential risks and threats

UNIQUE ASPECTS OF AI

Overall, AI has critical capabilities that can assist organizations in protecting it’s data, assets, and customers. These different capabilities are what makes AI so unique, and the three that can have the most significant impacts are machine learning, robotics, and self-awareness, as they provide users with a more sophisticated approach to security to help prevent threats and elevate security measures.

Through machine learning, AI can:

• Monitor and learn patterns of internal users
• Analyze honeypots to learn new types of attacks threat actors may utilize
• Ingest information from cybersecurity forums to learn new attack types
• Investigate methodologies of threat actors attempting to attack the organization’s environment

Through robotics, AI can:

• Provide enhanced physical security for an organization’s offices, sites and data centers
• Replace legacy systems in the environment that are more susceptible to attacks
• Reduce insider threat as machines can manage sensitive data
• Replace metal detectors at entry points of facilities to thoroughly scan individuals

Through self-awareness, AI can: 

• Improve biometrics used for access control management (e.g., pressure when typing, position of finger when using print scanners)
• Understand behaviors of employees (e.g., how long they review certain web pages, how they alternate between windows on the screen)
• Make decisions on how to respond to different actions taken in the environment (e.g., unauthorized access)
• Reduce the threat of Deepfake technology by thoroughly analyzing the voices of individuals to confirm their identity

The general idea here is that even though hackers and other threat actors can exploit the innovative technology of AI, it can also be used to greatly increase security measures for organizations, and, for lack of a better term, drastically change the game. AI has the potential to take security to new heights and reduce threats across the board.