Cybercrime is on the rise across the United States and globally. Over the past decade, cybercrimes have caused more than $12 billion in damagesa twelvefold increase over 2015. Where companies once feared physical threats like bank robberies, they are now guarding against much less obvious attacks.

As the world's reliance on digital technologies grows, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to enhance cybersecurity measures for businesses of all sizes.

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The role of AI in cyber security

Cyber ​​security has changed dramatically over the past decade. Ten years ago, more than one in five cyber security incidents records included in the paper. This year, that figure has dropped to an almost negligible 2%. Cyber ​​attacks involving paper data have been replaced by phishing incidents, which almost doubled during this time.

The increase in ransomware attacks is even more noticeable. Virtually unknown in 2015, they now account for nearly one in three cyberattacks in the US at this time. AI plays a dual role in cyber security as it is used by both cyber criminals and those seeking to secure data. The World Economic Forum has spoken about one AI arms race.

Chief information security officers (CISOs) around the world are using technologies like machine learning and deep learning to stay a few steps ahead of their adversaries. Thanks to its inherent capacity to analyze large amounts of data, AI allows CISOs and their teams to monitor network activity and spot anomalies early. Early identification of suspicious behavior or fraudulent activity becomes not only easier, but can be key to effectively preventing monetary and other damages.

At the same time, using AI frees up analysts' time, allowing them to focus on more strategic activities.

Key AI technologies in cybersecurity

Threat detection and data protection are the two cornerstones of effective cybersecurity, and AI can improve both.

Amazon GuardDuty is an AI-based threat detector that uses machine learning (ML) and Amazon Web Services' (AWS') built-in threat intelligence to protect AWS accounts and associated data. The software detects suspicious activities such as AI security breaches and investigates them faster than human analysts can. Users can also automate remediation of threats.

In addition, Amazon GuardDuty protects against ransomware uploads and scans for malware, including cryptocurrency-related threats.

IBM Watson for cyber security is another heavy hitter in AI-based threat detection. Watson analyzes security data from various sources, including alerts and security logs. By combining information collected in more than one place, Watson can detect threats that non-AI security software may have missed. The company's range of IBM Security® solutions offers more customized tools to meet the cybersecurity needs of today's businesses.

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Challenges and limitations

One of the challenges of using AI in cybersecurity is the speed at which the field is expanding. Research firm Gartner predicts that by 2026, four out of five businesses will have used Generative AI-enabled applications. By comparison, just a year ago, only 5% of all enterprises were using these emerging technologies.

Given the rate of acceleration, one of the challenges for cybersecurity professionals is protecting these projects. According to IBMless than a quarter of AI-generating projects are adequately secured now, leaving three-quarters open to malicious attacks.

Cyber ​​security teams are facing internal and external challenges. From the outside, cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated as the volume and value of data increases. Potential attackers no longer need excessive computing power to develop malicious products.

At the same time, teams seeking to protect an organization's data are dealing with internal problems such as large volumes of data and increasingly complex data infrastructures. They must also balance users' need for access with security concerns.

Case studies

Cyber ​​attacks are not limited to specific verticals. As companies' dependence on data grows, so does the potential for cybercrime. Industrial solutions provider Andritz AG saw an increase in security breaches in 2020. With nearly 50% of its 27,000-person workforce relying on remote network access, the company needed to find a solution that protected proprietary information and allowed its teams to continue working .

With customers operating power plants and chemical plants among other applications, cyber security breaches can quickly become catastrophic. The team implemented an AI-based solution to visualize threats and neutralize them quickly, protecting its employees and customers.

based in China United Family Health Care (UFH) turned to AI-based cybersecurity solutions when a combination of compliance regulations, external threats, and employee behaviors such as password sharing put data at risk.

The company needed a solution that streamlined security operations in a central location, allowing a relatively small cybersecurity team to monitor and detect suspicious activity across multiple locations. Once online, their AI-based system provided insight into the company's security situation within minutes. The app has also had a positive impact on internal operations, with risks and alerts falling since its implementation four years ago.

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Future trends

As the use of generative AI continues to expand across verticals and society as a whole, the need for a robust cyber security will grow.

While it may still be easy to view cybersecurity as something that may not apply to small businesses, few businesses will be able to avoid cyber threats for much longer. Losing access to an e-commerce website or compromising customer data on social media platforms can threaten a company's future.

As cyber threats evolve and expand their reach, AI-based cybersecurity must evolve to detect and neutralize them before damage occurs. In the future, we are likely to see AI-based security elements incorporated into widely used applications such as social media content generation, scheduling tools and more.

When it comes to cybersecurity, AI has a dual role as antagonist and defender. Over the next few years, governments and businesses must ensure that AI-based protection, detection and remediation overcome the growth of cyber threats and cyber crime.