The challenge of cybersecurity: defending against AI threats and exploiting their opportunities

Technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly transforming the world, but at the same time, they represent a source of cybersecurity risk. New cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated thanks to the ease of access to tools and methodologies that were unthinkable until recently. Furthermore, the use of AI techniques introduces an element of proactivity into cyber defense, but also makes it possible to create predatory algorithms that increase the attackers' ability to escape traditional detection systems. Defending against these threats requires a qualitative leap and a combined approach of strategies and techniques.

The challenge of defending against AI-based threats

New attack techniques based on artificial intelligence require an evolution in cyber defense. Approaches such as "Zero Trust" are indispensable for dealing with new threats. This approach must be applied to 360 degrees, for identities, access to systems, and contents. Additionally, files exchanged across hybrid environments require advanced verification techniques, such as Forcepoint Content Disarm and Reconstruction, along with Data Loss Prevention solutions. The Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is another key component of the Zero Trust architecture that protects application elements and data beyond a traditional network boundary, even beyond the cloud. Only continuous verification allows you to face advanced threats not yet known.

Artificial intelligence as an ally of cybersecurity

Artificial intelligence plays an increasingly important role in the cybersecurity industry as it is now essential in preventing attacks. AI-based identification algorithms are an indispensable tool for finding anomalies in the data collected and examined, as well as for monitoring the installation of software downloaded from the Internet. Artificial intelligence and deep machine learning techniques have been used for some years for the recognition of criticality in systems and have the aim of identifying attacks, increasing protection and acting proactively. Leveraging the entire ecosystem of corporate sources, they allow you to analyze an enormous amount of data, including unstructured data, to get a complete view of user interactions. In this way, it is possible to "anticipate" the detection of a threat, identifying a behavior that deviates from what is considered "normal" and immediately triggering a verification action.

Solutions for a proactive defense

The use of behavioral analysis models, based on artificial intelligence, can provide a starting baseline for creating a user profile. This profile varies as the behavior on data and applications varies. The model interacts with the security applications, defining a risk level which, with its variation, determines the application of the security policy to the data/user combination. Refining technologies and skills in this area can help minimize false positives as much as possible and create advanced defense solutions to protect companies from known and unknown risks and threats. The adoption of advanced UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics) models and platforms allows the use of artificial intelligence to implement proactive solutions for cybersecurity. Lutech, a company specialized in the development of innovative solutions in this field, is engaged in the study of techniques based on artificial intelligence and their application within specific projects.

Conclusions

Artificial intelligence can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it increases cybersecurity threats, and on the other, it offers great opportunities for the development of advanced defense solutions to deal with increasingly sophisticated threats. The key to defending against the former and using the latter to your advantage lies in finding a combination of technological and strategic solutions capable of effectively protecting users, accesses and system data. The use of artificial intelligence algorithms in cybersecurity is now inevitable, as is the need to continuously develop advanced skills and technologies in this sector. Only through a proactive defense based on AI will it be possible to face the cybersecurity challenges of the future.