Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere in the news cycles of this decade, dominating headlines for all sorts of reasons. Every field is getting disrupted due to the rapid pace of progress in the AI domain. Cybersecurity is no exception. This trend is set to accelerate in the near future, with the market for AI Cybersecurity expanding from $24.8 billion in 2024 to $102 billion in 2032.
Being an integral part of Information Technology (IT), it is in fact ripe for technological disruption. There are a few intrinsic characteristics that make this statement a reality:
- Cybersecurity produces tons of data, be it from user activity, logs, or system events. Crunching large sets of data is one of the first things large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are decent at. They have democratised exploratory analytics for all, making the level of skills future cybersecurity professionals will need to master much higher.
- System monitoring is another aspect of cybersecurity. Custom AI systems can already do a reasonably good job in 2024. Usually, cyber attacks happen rather quickly, but AI can work round the clock, acting as a first line of defence by detection.
- Large organisations also suffer from alert fatigue. If a team receives countless alerts every day, AI can help rank them based on factors like urgency, level of impact, complexity and exploitability.
- Inherently, cybersecurity is a very reactive field. Action is usually taken after a threat is detected. But AI could flip the game by engaging in proactive target hunting through predictive analysis. However, deploying these systems with an incomplete AI system could cause carnage by producing several false positives. Hence, this is a development that is still in its infancy.
Looking ahead, certain trends in the cybersecurity world will be shaped by AI to a great extent. The integration of AI into cybersecurity is changing the security landscape and what it means for businesses and prospective students of cyber security courses online. Some of those trends are explored in detail below:
1. AI-powered Cyber Attacks
Cyberattacks are going to get more sophisticated, thanks to AI. With professionals upping their game, it was inevitable that malicious actors also started embracing AI. This can be done in many ways:
- Creating convincing phishing emails to mimic trusted individuals or organisations,
- Producing realistic deepfake videos and audio to impersonate someone.
- Making malware adaptable to avoid easy detection.
- Overwhelming sites by web scraping bots that simulate human browsing.
- Deploying intelligent hacking tools that can scan and detect vulnerabilities.
With 48% of IT decision-makers not confident about their system’s defence abilities against AI attacks, expect such attacks to go mainstream.
2. Predictive Security
As previously stated, professionals can start to be more proactive in finding threats before they occur. By utilising Machine Learning (ML), historical data can be analysed to identify potentially vulnerable systems. If they are flagged pre-emptively, such weaknesses can be patched in advance to avoid any attacks. As an example, by analysing configurations, software versions, and historical patching timelines, the ML model might flag a group of servers as likely targets for Remote Code Execution (RCE) based on past records.
3. Training Simulations
Aspiring professionals can practically try to battle threats in AI-simulated attacks. Real-world scenarios can be mimicked instead of relying on theoretical frameworks. This would shorten the response time and improve decision-making in stressful situations. This would ensure that the professionals who enter the field are better equipped to handle the challenges of the job.
4. Privacy Vs. Security
This tension of balancing user privacy with security is set to exacerbate as AI systems get more advanced in surveillance and monitoring. Companies will need watertight policies that explicitly state the level of supervision allowed. Professionals will also have to ensure that AI systems do not impede beyond these specified limits. Communication and transparency will be key to maintaining user trust.
5. State-sponsored AI attacks.
Cyber warfare is the new battleground for nations, emerging as a major geopolitical tool. Australia is no exception, facing an all-out cyber assault on its critical infrastructure. Government bodies think tanks and public info systems have emerged as viable targets. AI is playing an increasingly important role in such attacks that intend to:
- Conduct espionage and collect critical information from government bodies & think tanks.’
- Disrupt essential services by targeting public infrastructure that runs on digital servers like power grids, government websites and transport networks.
- Create misinformation campaigns to create chaos and disruption.
- Target third-party vendors of the government who might have weak defence systems.
6. AI Regulation
Both business and political leaders all across the globe have identified the massive potential of AI. A global framework of applicable rules and regulations would go a long way in ensuring that AI is leveraged for good. By setting universal guidelines, the key decision-makers need to contemplate issues like algorithmic AI biases, potential job losses, data privacy and accountability for AI-driven decisions. A unified approach would ensure that developments are within the locus of control and fields like cybersecurity do not undergo a sudden seismic change, making the vast majority of professionals redundant. The Australian Government has laid the groundwork for a potential law to be debated in the parliament. While it is a step in the right direction, more urgent and concrete action is needed at the hour.
An AI-enabled future
It is no secret that the business world is gravitating towards a greater integration of AI into the standard workflow. In the case of cybersecurity, it has to be ensured that Australian companies who opt for more AI keep the AI safety standards in mind. Embracing these standards from the beginning would ensure their proper integration. Establishing and maintaining trust in AI is critical for brand reputation and business growth. This requires cross-functional cooperation and a unified privacy, security, legal and data science strategy. Being clear about the purpose of AI and properly defining and documenting it can help future decision-makers know about the original intent. Training employees and ensuring a smooth transition to an AI-powered workplace would be a critical step to assuage fears and secure complete buy-in for the transition.
In conclusion, Artificial intelligence is set to breach barriers and elevate the technical complexity of the field. Organisations need to be ready to tackle AI-powered cyber attacks. Deploying predictive security to strike out potential attacks preemptively could be a great place to start. Cybersecurity professionals can also utilise simulations to level up their skills. Finally, companies need to remain cognizant of AI standards and also keep user privacy in mind to maintain an ethical outlook.