September 10, 2024

Will genAI kill the help desk and other IT jobs?

AI is transforming cybersecurity by automating threat detection, anomaly detection, and incident response. “AI-powered tools can quickly identify unusual behavior, analyze security pattern, scan for vulnerabilities, and even predict cyberattacks, making manual monitoring less necessary,” Foote said. “Security professionals will focus more on developing AI models that can defend against complex threats, especially as cybercriminals begin using AI to attack systems. There will be a demand for experts in AI ethics in cybersecurity, ensuring that AI systems used in security aren’t biased or misused.” IT support and systems administration positions — especially tier-one and tier-two help desk jobs — are expected to be hit particularly hard with job losses. Those jobs entail basic IT problem resolution and service desk delivery, as well as more in-depth technical support, such as software updates, which can be automated through AI today. The help desk jobs that remain would involve more hands-on skills that cannot be resolved by a phone call or electronic message.? ...?Data scientists and analysts, on the other hand, will be in greater demand with AI, but their tasks will shift towards more strategic areas like interpreting AI-generated insights, ensuring ethical use of AI

Just-in-Time Access: Key Benefits for Cloud Platforms

Identity and access management (IAM) is a critical component of cloud security, and organizations are finding it challenging to implement it effectively. As businesses increasingly rely on multiple cloud environments, they face the daunting task of managing user identities across all their cloud systems. This requires an IAM solution that can support multiple cloud environments and provide a single source of truth for identity information. One of the most pressing challenges is the management of identities for non-human entities such as applications, services and APIs. IAM solutions must be capable of managing these identities, providing visibility, controlling access and enforcing security policies for non-human entities. ... Just-in-time (JIT) access is a fundamental security practice that addresses many of the challenges associated with traditional access management approaches. It involves granting access privileges to users for limited periods on an as-needed basis. This approach helps minimize the risk of standing privileges, which can be exploited by malicious actors. The concept of JIT access aligns with the principle of least privilege, which is essential for maintaining a robust security posture.?

Maximize Cloud Efficiency: What Is Object Storage?

Although object storage has existed in one form or another for quite some time, its popularity has surged with the growth of cloud computing. Cloud providers have made object storage more accessible and widespread.?Cloud storage platforms generally favor object storage because it allows limitless capacity and scalability. Furthermore, object storage usually gets accessed via a RESTful API instead of conventional storage protocols like Server Message Blocks (SMB). This RESTful API access makes object storage easy to integrate with web-based applications. ... Object storage is typically best suited for situations where you need to store large amounts of data, especially when you need to store that data in the cloud. In cloud environments, block storage often stores virtual machines. File storage is commonly employed as a part of a managed solution, replacing legacy file servers. Of course, these are just examples of standard use cases. There are numerous other uses for each type of storage. ... Object storage is well-suited for large datasets, typically offering a significantly lower cost per gigabyte (GB). Having said that, many cloud providers sell various object storage tiers, each with its own price and performance characteristics.?

How human-led threat hunting complements automation in detecting cyber threats

IoBs are patterns that suggest malicious intent, even when traditional IoCs aren’t present. These might include unusual access patterns or subtle deviations from normal procedures that automated systems might miss due to the nature of rule-based detection. Human threat hunters excel at recognizing these anomalies through intuition, experience, and context. The combination of automation and human-led threat hunting ensures that all bases are covered. Automation handles the heavy lifting of data processing and detection of known threats, while human intelligence focuses on the subtle, complex, and context-dependent signals that often precede major security incidents. Together, they create a layered defense strategy that is comprehensive and adaptable. ... Skilled threat hunters are essential to a successful cybersecurity team. Their experience and deep understanding of adversarial tactics help to identify and respond to threats that would otherwise go unnoticed. Their intuition and ability to adapt quickly to new information also make them invaluable, especially when dealing with advanced persistent threats. However, the demand for skilled threat hunters far exceeds the supply.?

A critical juncture for public cloud providers

Enterprises are no longer limited to a single provider and can strategically distribute their operations to optimize costs and performance. This multicloud mastery reduces dependency on any specific vendor and emphasizes cloud providers’ need to offer competitive pricing alongside robust service offerings. There is something very wrong with how cloud providers are addressing their primary market. ... As enterprises explore their options, the appeal of on-premises solutions and smaller cloud providers becomes increasingly apparent. These alternatives, which I’ve been calling microclouds, often present customized services and transparent pricing models that align more closely with economic objectives. Indeed, with the surge of interest in AI, enterprises are turning to these smaller providers for GPUs and storage capabilities tailored to the AI systems they want to develop. They are often much less pricy, and many consider them more accessible than the public cloud behemoths roaming the land these days. Of course, Big Cloud quickly points out that it has thousands of services on its platform and is a one-stop shop for most IT needs, including AI. This is undoubtedly the case, and many entrepreneurs leverage public cloud providers for just those reasons.?

Two Letters, Four Principles: Mercedes Way of Responsible AI

In the past, intelligent systems were repeatedly the target of criticism. Such examples included chatbots using offensive language and discriminating facial recognition algorithms. These cases show that the use of AI requires some clear guidelines. "We adhere to stringent data principles, maintain a clear data vision and have a governance board that integrates our IT, engineering and sustainability efforts," said Renata Jungo Brüngger, member of the board of management for integrity, governance and sustainability at Mercedes-Benz Group, said during the company’s recent India sustainability dialogue 2024. AI is being applied to optimize supply chains, predictive vehicle maintenance and personalize customer interactions. Each of these use cases is developed with a strong focus on ethical considerations, ensuring that AI systems operate within a framework of privacy, fairness and transparency. ... "Data governance is the backbone of our AI strategy," said Umang Dharmik, senior vice president at Mercedes-Benz R&D (India). "There are stringent data governance frameworks to ensure responsible data management throughout its life cycle. This not only ensures compliance with global regulations but also fosters trust with our customers and stakeholders."

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