Artificial intelligence (AI) has been around for some time. From chess computers to expert machines, artificial intelligence has been used by hobbyists, professionals, and more.
For most of their existence, these AI programs were hyper-specialized—they were really only good at doing one thing. Today, with the rise of neural networks and natural language processing, AI technology—especially generative AI—can be used as a sort of general intelligence.
ChatGPT and other AI systems have made artificial intelligence available to the masses. These AI technologies have been a boon to the cybersecurity sector, allowing us to more rapidly identify potential threats and security risks. In this way, they act as a kind of research assistant, helping enhance the human intelligence at the core of any cybersecurity effort.
The downside is that the criminals who create cyber threats have access to AI technology, too. They use it to create new and evolving threats—they can target vulnerabilities more effectively, create more convincing phishing emails, and linger in a network undetected for longer.
There’s good news: You can protect your digital assets from the threats posed by artificial intelligence. We’re going to teach you how:
6 Tips for Enhancing Cybersecurity Against AI Threats
1. Provide Continuous, Real-Time Cybersecurity Training for Your Team
Many cybercriminals are using AI tools to make existing cyber attacks more resource-effective—in other words, they’re using the same techniques, and both those techniques are being enhanced through AI.
Phishing emails and social engineering remain some of the most effective ways of gaining access to a network. Cybercriminals can convince individuals that they are legitimate actors and gain access to your network through AI-generated text, deepfakes, and other AI-generated content.
The counter to these techniques remains the same as ever—training your team to be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour. Teach them about the signs of phishing, and ensure they never give network access to unauthorized individuals. Teach remote members of your team how to safely access your network, avoid public networks, and always use a VPN.
2. Update Cybersecurity Policies and Procedures To Account for Emerging AI Threats and Enforce Them Through Communication and Assessments: Adapt to New Risks
AI will likely bring about a slew of changes in cybercriminal tactics and cybersecurity. You’ll need to keep abreast of new threats and communicate these threats to your team members.
Changes in policy and procedure are even more important. Implementing policies restricting how your network can be accessed, mandating regular password changes, and sending fake phishing emails to enhance your team’s awareness can all help reduce the risk of a network breach.
Stay on the lookout for news articles about new cyber threats, and adjust your procedures and policies accordingly. Cyber threats aren’t static; your approach to them shouldn’t be, either.
3. Partner With IT Service Providers That Specialize in AI Cybersecurity; They Have the Expertise and Advanced Tools Needed To Combat AI Attacks
Cybersecurity threats were hard enough to deal with before AI. Ransomware attacks have become increasingly popular, and without specialized knowledge, it becomes exceedingly difficult to know whether or not your network has been infiltrated.
AI has only added to these problems—attacks have become much more sophisticated, and network breaches are incredibly subtle. Tools that could detect malicious traffic before may find it more difficult to scope out, especially with the rise of remote work; network traffic is more sporadic and unpredictable than ever before.
The ever-evolving threats posed by AI are difficult to counter.
An IT service provider that specializes in AI cybersecurity can help. It’ll know about the tools that can be implemented to filter out sophisticated phishing emails, as well as the most advanced network monitoring tools. It will even know about bleeding-edge AI-assisted cybersecurity tools designed to help you fight against new, high-level cyber attacks.
The cybersecurity professionals at Constant C have protected organizations like yours from AI-enhanced threats for years.
We’ll help you improve security by keeping you aware of potential threats, introducing security measures to protect you from data breaches, and implementing recovery plans to get you back on your feet if a cyber attack ever succeeds. Call us today.
4. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of network breaches and successful cyber attacks. With multi-factor authentication, you’re protected even if a malicious attacker manages to secure login credentials using attacks assisted by AI tools.
In order to log in when MFA has been implemented, a user needs something they know (their login credentials) and something they have—like a cellphone—or something else they know (like their email login credentials).
Modern two-factor authentication (2FA) and MFA solutions can still allow your team to log in rapidly and conveniently, all while restricting the abilities of malicious actors to access your network.
5. Conduct Regular Risk Assessments
In order to assess your network security, you’ll need to conduct regular vulnerability assessments. In a risk assessment, security teams may attempt penetration testing, attempt phishing attacks, or use other means to try to access your network.
The goal of these risk assessments is to mitigate potential risks and reduce incident response times. They can be used to create better training data and improve your overall risk management strategy. The best way to counter potential cyber attacks is to wage them against yourself, learn where your network’s weaknesses are, and shore them up.
6. Use AI-Powered Cybersecurity Tools
Fight fire with fire.
AI-powered tools provide a number of incredible features, including:
- Actively monitoring network traffic for suspicious activity and suspicious IP addresses
- Automated threat detection
- Machine learning to constantly develop more sophisticated threat detection
- Finding and isolating malicious code
- Responding to threats without the need for human intervention
These AI-powered tools are highly customizable. We expect them to become more sophisticated as time goes on.
Conclusion
AI has introduced more sophisticated cyber threats into the cybersecurity ecosystem. Fortunately, with the right tools, training, and partnerships, you can defend yourself against even the most advanced attacks created by AI systems.
Remember—in the world of cybersecurity, the best defence can hold back the best offence. With Constant C at your side, you can protect yourself against AI cyber threats.
