Companies are embracing AI like never before, using it to fortify their cyber defences and transform critical functions like logistics and IT.
By integrating AI into their security postures, organisations can enhance their ability to detect and respond to cyber threats, securing critical business assets and strengthening data security.
Key benefits of AI:
1) Faster Threat Detection: AI sifts through data to quickly identify atypical behaviour and malicious activity, such as zero-day attacks.
2) Improved Accuracy: AI scans devices for vulnerabilities more quickly than humans and recognises patterns missed by the human eye.
3) Greater Scalability: AI automates intricate security tasks, freeing IT personnel to work in other areas.
However, the rapid adoption of AI in businesses has also raised discussions about its potential risks and limitations.
The AI Dark Side
Despite its benefits, AI isn’t without its challenges:
1) Bias and Discrimination: Biased data or algorithms can lead to discriminatory decisions against users.
2) Lack of Explainability: Complex AI algorithms make it hard to understand their decision- making, hindering improvement.
3) Misuse and Abuse: Malicious actors can exploit AI to create new malware, targeted phishing attacks, and deepfakes.
4) Privacy Concerns: Organisations are wary of potential vulnerabilities in AI models that could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data.
5) Data Security: Businesses fear leaks from external servers housing AI systems.
In fact, security concerns like data breaches and privacy leaks have led 75% of organisations to consider banning AI apps like ChatGPT.
Balancing AI and Humans
While AI offers benefits, the human factor remains crucial to mitigating the risks so it can be used safely:
1) Data Quality: High-quality, unbiased data is the essential foundation for building ethical and accurate AI models.
2) Ethical Implications: AI bias must be actively managed to promote fairness and build responsible and trustworthy systems.
3) Integration and Monitoring: businesses should plan for smooth integration with existing systems and continuous monitoring of AI performance.
“Before integrating AI into business processes, companies must guarantee that their employees are aware of its complexities, prepared to handle them, and capable of taking advantage of its benefits without causing cyber security risks to their organisation.” Comments Donnie MacColl, SeniorDirector of Technical Support and Data Protection Officer at Fortra, a global cybersecurity software and services provider.
He continues: “Properly integrating AI into existing security infrastructure requires careful planning, training, and ongoing monitoring. Businesses must ensure their AI solutions are aligned with their overall security strategy and address potential issues like explainability and accountability.”
Written by Donnie MacColl
