What new cybersecurity threats does AI’s evolution pose for business, and which novel solutions do firms need to combat them?
Technology continues to play a central role in the business world and is constantly advancing. One of the most obvious examples of this is artificial intelligence (AI), and it’s fair to say that ever-developing AI systems have made steady inroads into the corporate sector lately.
However, the continued evolution of AI does pose fresh cybersecurity threats for UK firms to consider. As AI becomes more sophisticated in its operation, AI-backed systems misused by cybercriminals present fresh challenges for online business defences.
What new threats to online security does AI’s evolution present, though, and which novel regulated data security solutions are required to combat them?
New generation of AI-powered cyber-attacks
The continuing evolution of AI is happening at a rapid pace, and this is something that hackers online have been quick to notice. One of the latest challenges that this poses for businesses in the UK is an ever-changing batch of next-level cyber-attacks to stop.
The most commonly seen include:
- Adaptive malware
- AI-backed automated phishing
- Deepfake fraud
All of these new-generation cyber-attacks can be damaging for business owners and makes focusing on the latest cybersecurity for defence a must for entrepreneurs looking to fight back against online crime.
Data poisoning a challenge
The ongoing evolution of AI has seen more businesses than ever start to use it for a variety of key tasks. Good examples of this include AI systems that detect fraud and provide basic customer service.
One new challenge that this brings though, is data poisoning. This involves cybercriminals hacking into the training set for AI systems and inserting malicious data to make it behave incorrectly. Some hackers will also feed false inputs into AI systems to trick them and bypass any security features they have.
Next-level AI for automated attacks and recon
AI has come a long way since it first appeared in business and helps firms operate in a more efficient, productive way. The downside is that tools powered by the latest AI tech can also be misused by hackers for the same reasons!
Evolved AI, for example, can give cybercriminals the ability to automate attack chains and launch large-scale threats at an organisation in super-quick time. It also means that they can scan for cybersecurity weaknesses much quicker and more accurately than any human ever could.
What new cybersecurity solutions do UK firms need to stay safe?
The key to staying safe from the novel threats that advancing AI delivers is regulated data security and online defences that are advanced enough to remain effective. Businesses can no longer rely purely on traditional firewalls or signature-based defences against this new generation of threats.
One of the most obvious ways to achieve this is by using cutting-edge AI tools to beef up network protection. These kinds of systems allow firms to monitor IT networks for normal user behaviour and automatically deal with any activity that seems off.
What other new security solutions can businesses use against evolved AI attacks?
Zero-trust architecture is another security approach that can help companies guard against sophisticated AI-powered attacks. This assumes that no user or device is automatically trusted and utilises continuous verification to protect networks.
UK companies must also start taking a fresh approach to rolling out any systems that use AI. Stress testing before deployment helps to confirm that these systems can withstand sophisticated attacks that use the latest AI before being rolled out.
Rapidly advancing AI is changing cybersecurity for business
The simple truth is that rapidly developing AI presents a whole new set of challenges for firms to tackle. The best way to do this is by using cybersecurity solutions that keep pace with any new threats they face. This will see firms continue to stay safe online and protect their IT networks.
