April 21, 2023 | By christa

Share

Is AI Hacking Your Business Systems?

• Tech(know)logy

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that tries to replicate the characteristics of human intelligence and applies those characteristics to computers. As time progresses, so do the possibilities associated with AI.

From voice assistants, like Siri and Alexa, to aiding cancer treatment and automating cars, AI is all around us. The typical AI system works by accessing data sets, recognizing patterns, and making decisions based on the data it has analyzed.

Cybersecurity and AI

When it comes to cybersecurity, AI carries its own advantages and disadvantages. But, despite the drawbacks, AI is an incredibly useful tool for mitigating risks in the cybersecurity realm.

On that note, some of the biggest challenges in cybersecurity today include:

• Manual threat hunting makes systems more vulnerable to threats that have “slipped through the cracks.”
• Having to address problems after the fact due to threats that only become known after they’ve already intercepted data or compromised a system. AI is useful here because it provides capabilities that address threats before they affect a system.
• Hacker anonymity through things like virtual private networks (VPNs), proxy servers, and Tor browsers, makes it easier for cybercriminals to go undetected.

Using AI to Improve Cybersecurity

According to Norton, the average recovery after a cyber-attack costs $3.86 million, and it takes approximately 196 days (about 6 and a half months) to fully recover. Fortunately, there are AI products on the market that minimize cyber risk by detecting potential threats before they make any sort of impact.

Here are a few ways AI can improve an organization’s digital structure:

1. Threat Hunting – traditional techniques on their own are simply not effective today because they fail to identify threats before they’ve happened. The best way to optimize threat hunting is via a hybrid technique that combines traditional hunting methods with AI detection processes. After all, AI can improve detection rates by up to 95%, however, the drawback is that you’re more likely to experience more false positives than before.
2. Vulnerability Control – cybercriminal attacks become more sophisticated each year, making it harder for organizations to identify and manage threats. Traditional methods are great for tracking threats that are already well-known, but AI capabilities (like User and Event Behavioral Analytics (UEBA) are ideal for those emerging threats that typical systems wouldn’t recognize.
3. Data Management – when problems occur, AI is helpful in ensuring systems are up and running as soon as possible. To achieve this, AI optimizes and monitors key data center processes like backup power, cooling centers, and bandwidth.

AI Advancements with ChatGPT

One of the big topics in the AI world right now is ChatGPT, an AI-powered natural language processing program that allows users to have conversations and create things like email, essays, and code. The platform is said to be a great tool for IT providers looking for ways to easily access information and take steps to address threats more quickly.

One of the biggest advantages of ChatGPT and programs like it is the ability to make jobs simpler. These programs allow us to take tasks that would typically be performed by multiple IT professionals and condense them down to being completed by just one person. In turn, the current gap in cybersecurity experts will begin to shrink.

AI is Coming in Hot

Thanks to AI, the future looks beautiful and dangerous. While AI can be a tool that hackers use to compromise computer systems, it can also be used to protect those systems.

Start educating yourself now on the many capabilities of AI to stay ahead of evolving threats. Contact LeadingIT today to learn more about AI programs that could benefit your business landscape.

LeadingIT offers 24/7, all-inclusive, fast and friendly technology and cybersecurity support for nonprofits, manufacturers, schools, accounting firms, religious organizations, government, and law offices with 20-200 employees across the Chicagoland area