Capgemini’s latest report “New Security Systems, New Threats: What AI and Gen AI Bring to Cybersecurity” reveals that as many as 92% of organizations experienced security breaches in the past year, marking a drastic increase compared to 51% in 2021. Moreover, 43% of surveyed companies suffered financial losses due to deepfake attacks. However, despite the rising threats, companies see opportunities to enhance their security by using Gen AI tools – more than half of participating organizations expect these tools to help them detect online threats faster and more accurately.
The number of cyber-attacks continues to rise, particularly impacting key sectors of the economy. The average organization deals with about 30 security incidents daily, with the banking sector facing the highest level of threats – as much as 61% of this sector’s companies report 10 to 50 attacks a day. The situation is hardly better in the defense (60%), insurance (58%), and telecommunications (58%) industries.
Edward Gołda, Data Protection Officer at Capgemini Poland, says that more and more companies are grappling with growing threats related to the use of GenAI. Although some problems, like data theft, have been known for a long time, this technology creates new risks such as algorithm hijacking or changes in their operation. Generative AI can create inappropriate content or be susceptible to manipulation. In response, companies are modifying internal regulations and beefing up system protection to better defend against new threats. Meanwhile, Gen AI also represents an opportunity. Tightly tailored internal regulations coupled with the adaptation of appropriate cyber-security tools can enhance resistance to various types of attacks.
Artificial intelligence, including GenAI, becomes a popular tool in the hands of cybercriminals, enabling them to create advanced malicious software, generate persuasive phishing messages, or manipulate files in a hard-to-detect manner. For instance, the number of complex phishing attacks where AI is used to create extremely realistic emails is increasing. According to estimates by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), artificial intelligence is almost certain to increase the number and scale of cyber-attacks in the next two years.
GenAI, which saw a spike in popularity following the debut of ChatGPT in 2022, substantially lowers the entry threshold for cybercriminals, enabling them to carry out more sophisticated and refined attacks. Prompt injection attacks, in which malicious data input into AI models can result in inaccurate results, data theft or sabotage of operations, provide an example. Meanwhile, deepfake technology enables fraud based on false images and audio recordings, threatening both the reputation of companies and financial security. According to Capgemini, as many as 43% of organizations participating in recent study admitted experiencing financial losses due to deepfakes. Six out of 10 companies believe they must increase their cybersecurity budget consistently to strengthen their defense.
Capgemini experts suggest that even though artificial intelligence – despite generating greater threats – can be a form of salvation. Although dependence on AI is still increasing, its role in strengthening security infrastructure is becoming more and more crucial. Most cybersecurity solutions available on the market are based on traditional artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.
Artificial Intelligence accelerates threat detection and response by analyzing large amounts of data, identifying patterns, and predicting potential security breaches. This proactive approach significantly reduces response time and minimizes damage. Furthermore, AI-based automation simplifies routine tasks, allowing security experts to focus on more complex challenges, says Edward Gołda.
In the long run, self-learning AI systems will be better able to adapt to changing threats. It’s no surprise that 66% of organizations consider AI a priority in security, while 60% see it as essential in effective response to threats.
Thanks to threat detection and response automation, AI minimizes the need for manual intervention, increasing efficiency and ensuring fast, effective, and cost-efficient defense against swiftly-evolving cyber-attacks. Over 60% of mentioned organizations reported that deploying AI in their Security Operations Centers (SOC) reduced threat detection time by at least 5%, and nearly 40% noticed that incident resolution time also decreased by 5% or more.
Generative AI offers new opportunities for advanced threat simulations and proactive defense strategies. As much as 61% of companies surveyed in the Capgemini study foresee Gen AI playing a vital role in the future of cybersecurity, and 62% expect this technology to actively support vulnerability detection. These findings demonstrate growing trust in Gen AI’s capabilities to implement more preventative measures in the area of data and system protection, which could significantly change the cybersecurity landscape in the coming years.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/gen-ai-zmieni-oblicze-cyberbezpieczenstwa-23868
