February Freeze: Data Dissonance

Greetings from the Frozen Tundra (literally) as we close out February! The end of the month means a data dump, and I do indeed have some of that for you today. This month the theme is "Data Dissonance" because there's clearly discord between the data-driven potential of modern AI and the outdated systems still in place.

While data promises to unlock transformative insights and drive innovation, many organizations remain stuck with legacy approaches that simply can't keep pace with today's dynamic, high-volume data threats. This misalignment means the value of your data is undermined by security and operational practices that are out of sync with the modern, agile environment needed for AI to truly thrive.

This is one of the key insights we’ve mined from our annual research, and I’m really looking forward to sharing it with you when my fingers thaw out from the February freeze.

In the meantime, I’ve been digging into surveys and studies and found some data that ought to strike a disharmonic chord with some of you.

The AI Threat

And when I say that, I don't meant the threat posed by AI, I mean the threat posed by folks harnessing AI. Recent studies have been nothing short of a wake-up call. A Kong Study reveals that about 25% of organizations have already endured AI‐enhanced security incidents over the past year—even as nearly 90% tout API security as a top priority. Yet, despite all the talk, traditional tools are clearly falling flat.

Not to be outdone, It also reports that 32% of 700 IT leaders rank AI-enhanced attacks as the number-one threat. And here’s the kicker: 74% are deeply worried, with 25% having witnessed these threats firsthand. If that isn’t a sign that current defenses need reinforcement, I don’t know what is.

Meanwhile, a Wallarm Report released just three weeks ago documents a jaw-dropping 1025% surge in AI-driven API vulnerabilities in a year. This isn’t a minor uptick—it’s a full-blown tsunami that traditional security strategies are ill-equipped to handle.

The Proposed Solution? Automation

Never fear, however, because Google apparently has an answer! In its Google Cloud Survey on “AI in Federal IT Security: 2024”, the cloud giant offers further evidence from the public sector, where agencies are struggling with the dual challenge of adopting AI and maintaining robust security. Their prescription? More automation in threat detection and a tighter marriage between AI tools and legacy systems—a far cry from the status quo.

Now here's the thing, I don't disagree that MOAR AUTOMATION is going to help. It absolutely will. And like most organizations in our research this year agree on the need for MOAR AUTOMATION. But agreeing it is the solution doesn't address the underlying reality that most organizations aren't ready for that level of automation. They're not.

Furthermore, if the answer really is throwing an automation bandaid on legacy approaches to operations, that's only going to give organizations a short reprieve. And that's what the report is saying: 59% are exploring options to integrate AI technologies into their organization’s [EXISTING] IT security systems. Systems that also impose process on practices and, sorry to say, can get in the way of success. So it was no surprise that 69% rated that integration "very or extremely challenging" and the top barrier to adoption.

The organizations that are going to win - and thrive - in a future technology landscape dominated by AI are not just those that harness it, but those that embrace it and recognize the opportunity to optimize operational processes and practices.

And that's all I'm gonna say about that. For now.

Mind the gaps

Finally, while an older PwC Global AI Study champions the potential of AI—claiming it could add up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030 and noting that about 50% of companies are already on board—it also reminds us that talent shortages and data issues are real obstacles. In other words, while many are dreaming big with AI, the security and operational foundations are often stuck in the past.

The message is clear: there’s a serious misalignment between what AI promises and how we’re actually leveraging it. It’s high time to ditch the outdated playbook and ensure that our operations can keep pace with the rapidly evolving threat and competitive landscapes.

It's time to rethink not just the technology we use, but how we use it - and to what end.

Until next month, stay warm out there!