Where The Rubber Meets The Road; The complex Intersection Between Cybersecurity and AI

Defined as a time when AI transcends human intelligence, erasing the boundary between humanity and computers, the Singularity may be reached as early as 2060.

From The Matrix to Skynet, pop culture and Sci-Fi boast of countless examples where hyper-intelligent machines make less than benevolent overlords. Whether or not this fear is rational, it is something to be reckoned with. As AI becomes more advanced, it intersects with every sphere of our daily lives

Dudu Mimran, chief technology officer (CTO) at Telekom Innovation Laboratories in Israel, explains in an interview with Security Intelligence, “While the threat of cyberattacks powered by AI is increasingly likely, I am less concerned in the short- and midterm about machines making up their minds and being able to harm people,” Mimran said. “Our lives are becoming more and more dependent on technology, and this will be exploited by adversaries much before we have conscious machines. Nevertheless, today most attackers' goals can be attained without the sophistication of AI, and that is why we don’t see a big new wave of these kinds of attacks.”

Real World Applications For AI:

In the last couple of decades, there has been exponential technological progress, creating a massive opportunity for corporations. More and more companies are opting to intertwine their business with AI.

Examples of AI integrations are pervasive, from social media algorithms that show targeted ads based on demographics or recent searches, to self-driving cars and smart homes. Personalized online shopping sites use product searches and purchases to curate recommendations for users. The filters on apps like Snapchat and Instagram are also powered by AI. Customer service holds immense potential for AI enhancements, such as Chatbots and automation. FAQs that customers are likely to ask can be programmed into a Chatbot, this frees up employees to handle actual problems.

Virtual Reality and video games are perhaps the biggest contenders for AI use, where the entire world is created through AI. VR has come a long way from the terrible graphics and wonky movements of some decades ago to the hyper-realistic and immersive universes of today. Facebook has also launched the Metaverse, and though right now that doesn’t sound like a place anyone would actually want to hang out in, who knows what it will become in a few years?

AI And Cybersecurity:

The need for cybersecurity has gained importance as our lives become more online than ever. Whether it’s work, socializing, banking, investing, shopping, or even dining, we can do it all online. If the only thing protecting your identity or financial assets is an easily crackable password, you are vulnerable to being hacked

AI shows immense promise in the realm of cybersecurity. Biometric logins that scan retinas or fingerprints make identity theft virtually impossible. These can be compounded with a password or code to enhance security. This has already seen real-world applications used by many smartphones.

AI can also be used to detect malware and potential viruses and security threats. AIs process information in a fraction of the time it would take a conventional system. Their complex algorithms are very adept at identifying patterns and using that information to monitor suspicious activity, sniffing out any threats before they have the chance to cause damage.

AI systems also trawl through news, articles, and any other kind of data on the internet related to cyber-attacks and threats. These systems can process intelligence from around the world in record time, this provides cybersecurity companies with up-to-date information and allows them time to create strategies to deal with potential threats.

Another use for AI systems is multi-factor authentication and varied levels of access, for places and websites that deal with highly classified information. Based on the user’s location and authentication the AI will be able to determine in real-time the level of access they should be granted.

To put it more succinctly, here are some of the ways in which AI can help enhance cybersecurity:

• Biometric-based logins that improve protection
• Threat detection of malware and suspicious activity using pattern analysis
• Natural language processing for enhanced learning
• Multi-factor and varied access in real-time

Drawbacks Of AI In Cybersecurity:

AI has tremendous potential for cybersecurity but it’s not an easy investment to make. Any company that chooses to go this route will need a substantial amount of resources including data, memory, and computing power.

The training of the algorithms to detect patterns requires huge data sets of non-malicious codes, malware codes, and anomalies, which are not easy to acquire and not accessible to every firm.

Lastly, hackers have access to the same information cybersecurity firms do, what’s to stop them from using AI to help them build a better, undetectable virus? Using AI-boosted systems helps them perfect their malware and make it AI-proof.

What You Can Do For Protection:

AI is revolutionizing cybersecurity and its capabilities. Creating systems that are better equipped to detect and impede any potential attacks or threats. Protecting companies, customers, and communities.

AI-enhanced cybersecurity still has its limitations, when you need something extra to fill in those gaps, that’s when you turn to Turn-Key Technologies (TTI).

With a team of 40 award-winning professionals, TTI creates custom security solutions for any company and any industry. Whether it's government organizations, financial institutions, or healthcare facilities, we keep your sensitive information safe. TTI has the knowledge, the expertise, and the skill set to support all your technology and security needs.

Get in touch today and let’s keep you protected.