Artificial Intelligence

AI in Cybersecurity: Securing Tomorrow Today

Published

2 months ago

July 1, 2024

Written by Kamal Nagpal, Senior Director – Middle East, Cloud and Network Services, Nokia

As the digital world grows more complex and hostile, the imperative to keep us safe falls on the cybersecurity and telecom industry. Cybersecurity needs to be proactive and not just reactive. In this regard, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have quietly revolutionised how we defend against cyber threats. AI’s innate ability to act, learn, and predict is what embeds it so deeply in cybersecurity.

While countries like the UAE make significant strides in adapting AI into every aspect of nation-building with new measures like the AI Blueprint, creating a system on which progress can be made and one that remains safe and vigilant to external threats is essential and central to all communication service providers.

AI: The Past and Present
Predicting an attack before it happens has always been, in essence, what we do as cybersecurity professionals. AI and Machine Learning (ML) are not new entrants and have been around since before generative AI took the stage. The early 2000s saw the first machine learning systems that were employed to identify and mitigate spam mail. As the threats grew more complex, so did the technologies, going from simple rule-based systems to advanced algorithms capable of predictive analysis and real-time threat detection.

Malicious actors continue to grow and use more sophisticated ransomware. Communication Service Providers across the board increasingly struggle to keep up with the ever-changing nature of threat vectors and 42% of CSP respondents believe that fragmented security tools make it harder for security companies to implement security capabilities across different systems. Cybersecurity is of paramount importance to industries like healthcare and banking that are traditionally associated with handling vast amounts of sensitive data, and with devices on the IoT (Internet of Things).

As our reliance on smart appliances and automobiles grows, so do the threats when accessing personal data. Technology and cybersecurity experts estimate that an average data breach can cost enterprises up to US$4.2 million, and that number is only growing. The biggest threats to staying safe in the cyber world we live in are the lack of security automation, increased threat actors, increasingly sophisticated attacks, a fragmented security landscape, and stringent compliance requirements.

Is AI here to stay?
With its innately high levels of automation and insight, AI trumps traditional cybersecurity methods. Given AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data at large speeds, it can also leverage machine learning algorithms to identify patterns and anomalies that can help mitigate threats in a timeframe that cannot be matched by human operators. Perhaps, one of the greatest contributions of AI and machine learning is its ability to analyze behavior. As it continues to gather and analyze threat information from diverse sources, it provides a sharper and more nuanced defence mechanism. The foresight that AI provides enables organizations to implement preventive measures rather than reactive responses, shifting the paradigm of cybersecurity from defence to prevention.

This isn’t to say that there are no challenges when it comes to leveraging AI and machine learning for cybersecurity. Ensuring that the technology operates within the realms of ethical use while prioritizing privacy will remain one of the greatest challenges we face. Ensuring transparency, fairness, and robustness in AI algorithms will be essential as these technologies continue to evolve.

Another omnipresent threat is that of data poisoning. Commonly regarded as one of the darker facets of the, AI can be weaponized and used to leak sensitive data, offer inaccurate information or even create malicious code. Ensuring a robust data validation process to filter out poisoned data and continuous monitoring through risk assessment is imperative to keep AI models safe for a digitally secure future.

The future success of AI is dependent on continuing to have regulatory environments that enable the use of AI across industries and avoiding a fragmented approach that may hinder its adoption. Regional and global collaboration is also an important aspect of staying safe. Sharing threat intelligence and best practices across borders can enhance the overall security of the region.

The use of AI in cybersecurity is more than just a passing trend. Its future is certainly enmeshed with the future of AI, and if we were to look ahead with the data available today, AI could soon be one of the cornerstones of modern and future cybersecurity strategies. As we stand on the brink of new technological frontiers, can we afford not to invest in AI-driven cybersecurity?

Artificial Intelligence

SentinelOne and Google Cloud Join Forces for AI Cyber Defense

Published

2 weeks ago

August 26, 2024

Prarthana Mary

SentinelOne has said that it is proud to be a strategic endpoint vendor for Mandiant Consulting. Building on this strong partnership, SentinelOne and Google Cloud are now enhancing their collaboration to enable stronger enterprise cyber defence. By integrating SentinelOne’s advanced AI-driven autonomous endpoint protection with Google Cloud’s extensive threat intelligence, the strategic partnership enables customers to strengthen their security posture.

“To help our customers reduce the business impact of cyber threats and keep today’s modern IT environments safe, Google Cloud partners with fellow market leaders to deliver highly adaptable and intelligence-led solutions,” said Sandra Joyce, Vice President, Google Threat Intelligence. “SentinelOne brings an advanced cybersecurity platform for continued delivery and integrations into Google threat intelligence and related services. By expanding our strategic alliance, we can deliver dynamic telemetry and generative AI capabilities that drive stronger security outcomes.”

This announcement marks a new phase of the strategic partnership between SentinelOne and Google Cloud. Building on the success of this initial integration, the companies will jointly share telemetry data to provide the most comprehensive security insights, empowering organizations to harden their posture and protect against the latest threats. SentinelOne will also use this data with Google Gemini 1.5 Pro and Flash models to further enhance the autonomous capabilities of its Purple AI and Singularity Platform.

“Google Cloud is a leader in online security, setting the benchmark for delivering highly secure online services at an unprecedented scale,” said Ric Smith, Chief Technology and Product Officer of SentinelOne. “Google Cloud and SentinelOne share a security-first mindset, and in deepening our collaboration, we’re fusing the best security and threat intelligence services with the most advanced AI-based protection platform to deliver infinite-scale cybersecurity at machine speed. This brings Google Cloud’s intelligence to SentinelOne customers and SentinelOne’s best-of-breed endpoint protection to Mandiant’s managed security services.”

Artificial Intelligence

Zero Trust: SANS Unveils Critical Challenges and Solutions

Published

2 weeks ago

August 26, 2024

Priyan Sampath

As organizations continue to fortify their cybersecurity strategies in response to an ever-evolving threat landscape, many are turning to Zero Trust architectures to safeguard their data. However, implementing Zero Trust is not without its challenges. According to a new strategy guide from the SANS Institute, “Navigating the Path to a State of Zero Trust in 2024,” businesses often stumble over key obstacles in their journey towards Zero Trust adoption.

“The path to achieving a true state of Zero Trust isn’t straightforward. Organizations often encounter several fundamental challenges when attempting to implement end-to-end Zero Trust principles across their environment,” said Ismael Valenzuela, SANS Senior Instructor and author of the Cyber Defense and Blue Team Operations course, SANS SEC530: Defensible Security Architecture and Engineering. “By understanding and addressing these common mistakes, businesses can make better strategic and tactical decisions and increase their resiliency in the face of evolving threats.”

SANS Institute identified the top five mistakes made when implementing Zero Trust:

Overlooking the Importance of Organizational Culture: Zero Trust is more than just a technological shift; it requires a fundamental change in organizational culture. Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) must align security with strategic, operational, and financial priorities. As the strategy guide states, “Effective security is driven by people, processes, and technology.” Failure to secure stakeholder buy-in from the outset can doom Zero Trust initiatives to fail.
Underestimating Human Risk: Employee error and negligence account for over 80% of data breaches. Hybrid work environments blur the lines between personal and professional spaces, increasing the complexity of monitoring user activity. “A Zero Trust architecture is an important line of defence against human risk,” the strategy guide emphasizes. Organizations must implement continuous monitoring and real-time assessment of user behaviour to mitigate these risks.
Neglecting the Supply Chain: Recent high-profile supply chain attacks have underscored the vulnerabilities within interconnected systems. According to Gartner, by 2025, 45% of organizations worldwide will have experienced attacks on their supply chains. Zero Trust principles help limit the impact of these breaches by ensuring continuous verification and deeper visibility into user activity.
Failing to Plan for Sustainable Success: Implementing Zero Trust is a long-term commitment that requires continuous improvement and adaptation. The SANS strategy guide highlights the importance of effective change management practices: “Effective change management ensures stakeholder buy-in, facilitates user adoption, minimizes disruption, promotes continuous improvement, and enhances collaboration.”
Inadequate Measurement of Success: Measuring the effectiveness of a Zero Trust framework is crucial for maintaining stakeholder support. The guide suggests several metrics, including authentication success rates, policy compliance rates, and the time to detect and respond to incidents. These metrics provide a clear picture of the framework’s impact and highlight areas for improvement.

“Adopting the Zero Trust ‘never trust, always verify’ mindset is essential for modern cybersecurity,” said Valenzuela. “However, the real challenge lies in having a realistic understanding of what a Zero Trust architecture looks like and avoiding common pitfalls during implementation. From cultural shifts to technical deployments, this offers vital guidance to help organizations successfully navigate the complexities of Zero Trust and enhance their cybersecurity resilience.”

Artificial Intelligence

Holon to Participate at the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival 2024

Published

3 weeks ago

August 15, 2024

Chris Fernando

Holon, a leading provider of sustainable data infrastructure, has announced a partnership with the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival 2024. The collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of AI-driven innovations in sustainable data storage and computation.

The partnership aligns with the UAE’s vision for a digitally advanced and sustainable ecosystem. By combining Holon’s expertise in green data solutions with the festival’s influence, the two organizations seek to address the growing challenge of data consumption and its associated environmental impact.

According to the Holon Data Report, data creation is expected to surge exponentially in the coming years, driven by machine-generated data. This growth will put immense pressure on existing data storage infrastructure and contribute to a significant increase in energy consumption.

Holon’s partnership with the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival is a crucial step towards addressing these challenges. By leveraging AI and Web3 technologies, Holon aims to develop sustainable data solutions that can repurpose existing property infrastructure and reduce the carbon footprint of data centres.

This collaboration will foster innovation in areas such as data collection, processing, analytics, and application. It will also promote the adoption of energy-efficient data management practices, making it more attractive for businesses to invest in sustainable data solutions.

Holon’s partnership with the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival is a testament to the company’s commitment to creating a sustainable digital future. By working together, these organizations can drive significant advancements in AI, Web3, and sustainable data practices, contributing to a greener and more prosperous world.