AI In Cybersecurity: Critical Business Benefits And Risks
The use of artificial intelligence has increased dramatically in the last few years, with many businesses implementing AI as a core feature of their service. From search engines and social media to financial institutions, companies use AI to optimize their workflow and prevent unnecessary losses. Now, many business owners are considering the use of AI in cybersecurity.
Can AI technology improve your company’s cybersecurity, or will it create more problems? As providers of cybersecurity expertise in the San Francisco Bay Area, our team at Renascence has a wealth of experience with AI-based tools and helping business owners implement them into threat detection systems.
This article will discuss the potential benefits and challenges of using AI in cybersecurity to help you determine what tech is best for your company.
The Benefits Of Using AI In Cybersecurity
As technology has progressed, the risk of cyber-attacks has increased. Hackers and other cybercriminals have become more sophisticated in their methods, which poses a significant threat to companies and financial institutions that may become their next targets.
Using AI in cybersecurity offers one possible solution to these growing threats. Read on to learn more about the benefits of artificial intelligence and how it can improve your digital security.
Improved threat detection
If your company has already established cybersecurity measures, you likely have various protection methods set up to prevent a data breach, such as firewalls and antivirus software. However, if cybercriminals manage to break through these deterrents, you’ll need additional protections. If your last line of defense relies on manual monitoring, you may not be able to catch a breach in time.
Using AI technology allows you to detect cyber threats at any time — something your human employees may be unable to do. AI monitors and responds to cyber-attacks that may otherwise go undetected every minute of the day.
Some cybersecurity professionals believe that AI-based tools are instrumental in improving digital security. In particular, many insist that AI technology is a critical factor in improving the performance of security analysts.
Expedited response times
Human employees can’t be at their desks 24/7 to detect cyber threats, but the implementation of AI in cybersecurity solves this problem by providing around-the-clock support. Similarly, AI can also find and eliminate cyber threats much more quickly than a human employee, resulting in improved response times.
Catching cybersecurity threats before they can cause irreparable damage should be the top priority of any effective cybersecurity measure. AI technology can examine your network at an incredible speed and allow you to address threats before they become a problem.
Improved adaptation over time
Hacker tactics and cyber threats continue to evolve. What worked against these threats in previous months or even previous weeks may not work tomorrow. As a result, businesses may struggle to develop and maintain an effective cybersecurity plan.
However, AI technology works faster than the human brain, which makes it ideal for adaptation as your digital security needs change. It still requires a human touch when it comes to dealing with the implications of a breach — the AI just helps you acknowledge the problem sooner.
The Potential Problems With Using AI In Cybersecurity
Prioritizing AI in cybersecurity presents several advantages, but it’s important to be aware of the potential risks, such as increased upfront costs, AI cyber-attacks, and employee complacency.
The cost of AI security solutions
AI-based security solutions may cost more up front, which could be a deterrent for some business owners looking to cut security costs.
However, more security solutions are becoming available to businesses at lower price points. Additionally, while the initial costs may be off-putting, it’s usually more cost-effective in the long run to pay for quality cybersecurity than it is to pay the price of a successful breach.
The risk of “adversarial AI”
Another, more frightening risk of using AI in cybersecurity is the possibility of “adversarial AI,” or AI systems altered to cause harm. This issue occurs when cybercriminals remotely alter a company’s artificial intelligence-based security system and cause it to incorrectly identify threats, otherwise known as producing false positives.
Without effective, robust protections in place, your AI could become a tool for cybercriminals. However, experts have been developing prevention methods to counteract the possibility of adversarial AI.
The risk of employee complacency
The unspoken risk of using AI in cybersecurity is the possibility of employee complacency. If your company implements AI technology, some employees may let their guard down as a result, thus decreasing the overall efficacy of your security measures. To prevent this, it’s important to remind your employees to remain vigilant following the adoption of AI tools.
Is It Worth Using AI In Cybersecurity?
While implementing AI technology into your cybersecurity protocol may come with a level of risk, the benefits exceed the potential problems.
In this era of technological advancement, digital security is more critical than ever to protect your business’s sensitive data. And while security analysts play an essential role in digital security, humans can only process so much. AI-based security measures detect cyber threats quickly and give you the tools you need to address those threats in a timely manner.
However, remember that the efficacy of AI in cybersecurity depends on detailed training and adequate resources. To avoid the potential risk of AI implementation, ensure you have the tools necessary to adopt and use AI security tools successfully.
Protect Your Business With Network Elites
As highly trained IT experts, our team at Network Elites can help you develop a cybersecurity solution suited for your business. We customize our services to fit each client’s needs, working with business owners to understand the current status of their digital security and determine what we can do to ensure impenetrable digital protection.
Whether you’re a small business owner or running a major corporation, we’re here to help you learn how to implement AI in cybersecurity and why cybersecurity training is critical for small businesses.
