What Does AI Mean for Cybersecurity?
Kelly Kercher
Founder & CEO @ K3 Technology | Building Enterprise Value & Driving Strategic Growth in IT, Security ??, Cloud ?? and AI Solutions | Skier | Proud Father of Two Incredible Boys
Since the introduction of ChatGPT-3 just last November, the uptake of commercial AI tools has been shockingly swift. AI may not “change everything” as some have predicted – but it will change plenty and we’re seeing already.
AI is not a fad or a flash in the pan, and it’s a smart bet that its effects will be widespread and dramatic across technology, business, and society. Some of these effects will be positive, some negative and some are still TBD.
Cybersecurity is a great example of the mixed influence of AI on existing processes. We don’t fully understand how things will shake out, but it’s clear that given the powerful new capabilities of AI, it's time to reexamine your cybersecurity strategies and check them against potential hacker tactics enhanced or enabled by AI tools.
So far, AI vs. cybersecurity is a mixed bag
While we don’t fully know the long-term impact of AI on cybersecurity, we can identify ways it can help, and things that we’ll have to watch for. On one hand, AI can help strengthen cyber defenses. On the other, it can be used by bad actors to increase the effectiveness of cyber-attacks.
Put simply, in the hands of the good guys, AI is a powerful tool to keep your data and systems secure. But when used by the bad guys, it can increase your vulnerability and make an attack easier and/or more damaging. Considering that data breaches are on the rise, just increased by more than 38% just in 2022, AI-enabled hackers are a serious concern.
How AI enables hackers
Enhanced phishing - One very damaging capability made available to hackers by ChatGPT is its ability to make phishing attacks more effective. Many of the telltale signs of phishing such as spelling, and grammar mistakes can be easily eliminated in AI-generated phishing emails. Prior to AI, most harmful messages could be identified by paying attention and reading carefully – many gave themselves away simply because they “didn’t look right” or included glaring errors.
Even for non-English speaking attackers, ChatGPT reduces or eliminates the errors that can red flag an attack. With the assistance of AI, the odds of a phishing email appearing authentic and getting through go up way, way up. Fortunately, tools that can reliably detect ChatGPT messages are available and being updated continuously. Widespread deployment of AI-detecting software along with systematic user training can counteract the effectiveness of AI-generated phishing by tagging and isolating hostile messages before they can inflict any damage.
AI-generated malicious code - ChatGPT is programmed to prohibit it from creating malicious code that hackers can use in cyber-attacks, but the jury is out on how effective these safeguards will prove to be. Chances are, ambitious hackers are working hard to develop (or already have) ways around these safeguards, turning ChatGPT into a highly-capable malicious code generator.
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How AI helps strengthen cyber defenses
It’s worth noting that if bad actors can use the capabilities of AI, the good guys can too. Clearly, AI can be a powerful tool in combating cyberthreats. In fact, AI is already being deployed in multiple ways:
●?????Automating threat intelligence – Maintaining constant and detailed threat intelligence is critical to cybersecurity. Using AI to automate this process makes it faster, increases accuracy and bandwidth, and provides better protection.
●?????Identifying user behavior anomalies – Many cyberthreats find their way into your systems through the activities of individuals on your system. AI can effectively track and tag suspicious behavior to ward off attacks before they cause damage.
●?????Detecting Malicious URLs and Phishing emails – AI can greatly enhance analysis of incoming traffic and filter for threats, without increasing headcount.
K3 can help you navigate AI-generated cybersecurity challenges
At K3 Technology, cybersecurity is in our DNA and we’re experts in the rapidly emerging field of AI, including tools, strategy and support. So we know where AI and cybersecurity intersect and can help you take can apply AI to?ensure your systems remain safe from bad actors – even the ones armed with AI.
Contact us at K3 Technology for a discovery call. And in the meantime, check out these articles for more insight on the impact of AI on cybersecurity.
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