Dispelling the myths around AI in cybersecurity

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic in cybersecurity just as it is in virtually every industry right now, and rightfully so. AI is poised to change how many of us work, with the real question being not “if” we will be impacted but “how much.” In cybersecurity, AI has the potential to be a game changer in defending against cyber attackers, who are also looking at how they can use AI to their own advantage. It’s a bit like being in the middle of a race and suddenly discovering everyone has a rocket booster and they just need to figure out how to turn it on.

AI is a powerful tool whichever way you slice it. But amongst the hype there is also some misinformation that has crept in. In order to really embrace the power of AI we need to understand it. Let’s look at some of the current myths and how things are actually unfolding for AI in cybersecurity.

Myth 1: Cybercriminals are using advanced AI techniques

The potential for threat actors to use AI to enhance their activities has been a much-hyped topic in the media. However, the Secureworks 2023 State of the Threat report identified that adversaries are still exploring and testing it out. Cybercriminals are opportunists, more like a cat burglar than a criminal mastermind. They want to get the maximum outcome for minimal effort. And right now, the tried and tested methods that are low-tech and low-cost are still getting them results.

That said – just because we aren’t seeing a big uptake right now doesn’t mean it won’t happen. They are experimenting with it, and we can expect that it will increasingly become part of their toolset.

Myth 2: AI is new in cybersecurity defense

One of the biggest benefits of AI tools in cybersecurity defense is its ability to accelerate processes, something it has been doing for some time already. AI can synthesize vast amounts of data and uncover insights at a speed that is hard to match by people. This can decrease detection times, which in turn accelerates response time. When it comes to investigations, our use of AI at Secureworks has reduced investigation times by more than 50% and saved analysts 90% of the time it takes to write investigations.

Acceleration and efficiency are also helping to improve one of the biggest challenges in cybersecurity today — the talent gap. As the shortage of cybersecurity talent continues to force more organizations to do more with less, AI has the ability to fill in gaps and bolster cyber defenses. As AI systems continue to develop and evolve, it’s easy to envision a day when AI will democratize access to advanced security technologies, allowing organizations of all sizes to have strong cybersecurity measures that don’t require a large team of experts to manage.

It's this ability to grow that has many people excited for the future of AI in cybersecurity. AI will be able to quickly review historical data and use it to help predict potential vulnerabilities and attack vectors. AI systems can exist in a state of constant evolution, continuously learning and adapting to improve their effectiveness. These improvements can further be tailored to the organization’s industry and goals to create more bespoke cybersecurity measures.

Myth 3: AI will replace people

It’s important to emphasize that filling the talent gap does not mean figuring out how AI can replace humans in a SecOps center. On the contrary, AI is only optimized when cybersecurity professionals bring their intuition, creativity, and experience to the table. These qualities are essential for understanding context, making nuanced decisions, and strategizing.

For example, let’s say a detector with AI is looking at data from an endpoint inside an industrial machine shop. If it detects a threat and is left to make its own decision, it could reasonably assume isolating the host is the best approach. However, a cybersecurity professional would have the context that isolating the host will shut down the manufacturing line — resulting in a huge loss of time and money for the manufacturer. The cybersecurity professional can look at all the nuances and understand the “best approach” in this situation will depend very much on the impact that choice has on the manufacturer.

Likewise, when it comes to ethical and legal issues, cybersecurity professionals will always be needed to navigate complex issues and ensure that any decisions an AI makes are done in line with compliance, legal and ethical standards.

Instead of replacing human decisions, AI has incredible potential to make cybersecurity professionals better at their jobs by helping them reach decisions faster, as our own decreased investigation times show. Automating mundane tasks will also free up time for cybersecurity professionals to develop new cybersecurity strategies and innovative solutions to emerging threats. AI can support this process, but it can’t replace the creative minds and strategic thinking that experts provide.

Unleashing the potential of AI

Creating AI systems that can outpace our adversaries will also mean that the cybersecurity industry needs to foster an environment of collaboration and sharing. We need an AI-powered application security ecosystem that can bring together our best practices and collective knowledge to stay one step ahead of cyber criminals as they figure out how to turn the rocket booster that is AI on.

There’s no questioning the power of AI to reshape the cybersecurity industry, but we also must recognize that AI in and of itself is no silver bullet. An organization’s comprehensive cybersecurity plan will always need human oversight and expertise. AI can significantly enhance an organization's cybersecurity posture and provide a level of defense that is difficult to achieve with human resources alone. But AI is also not capable of replacing the critical thinking, ethical judgment, and creative problem-solving that cybersecurity professionals provide.

The most effective cybersecurity strategies moving forward will leverage the strengths of both AI and human expertise, working in tandem to protect against threats.

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