According to a survey conducted in 2021, an alarming 68% of respondents acknowledged the potential use by cybercriminals of artificial intelligence (AI) for impersonation and spear-phishing attacks targeting their organizations. This highlights the growing concern of cybercriminals leveraging AI technology for malicious purposes.
However, the survey also revealed an effective countermeasure against cybercrime: companies that prioritize security awareness training. Incorporating such training programs allows companies to be better equipped when it comes to identifying and addressing cyber threats effectively. As they say – knowledge is power.
SMEs and Cybercrime
Cybersecurity poses ever more significant challenges for businesses – especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Cyber attacks are growing increasingly sophisticated; thus, the need for advanced defense mechanisms is more crucial than ever. One technology that holds immense promise in the realm of cybersecurity is artificial intelligence (AI). AI has great potential in cybersecurity, but it comes with its own unique set of both challenges and opportunities for SMEs.
Rouble Malik, an experienced IT professional, has spent his career cultivating a deep understanding of AI and its application in cybersecurity. He says that AI is exciting but can be dangerous as well – and shares how to avoid the pitfalls.
On Your Guard
“AI has the potential to revolutionize cybersecurity in numerous ways,” Malik says. “These include augmenting human capabilities, automating threat detection and response, building secure systems and enhancing overall defense strategies.”
He explains that with AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data and identify patterns, it can empower cybersecurity professionals by providing them with valuable insights and reducing the time required to detect and respond to threats.
“AI has the ability to enable a more efficient and effective approach to cybersecurity,” Malik stresses. “This efficiency can help smaller organizations stay one step ahead of cybercriminals and protect their sensitive data and systems.”
Bad Robot
As artificial intelligence gets more – well, intelligent, cybercriminals have found insidious ways to leverage AI for malicious purposes. “Businesses – especially SMEs – should be aware that AI-powered tools can assist cybercriminals,” Malik warns.
These can include automating attacks, evading detection, and launching more sophisticated and targeted cyber threats. This highlights the need for continuous advancements in cybersecurity practices and the development of AI-driven defense mechanisms to counteract the evolving tactics of cybercriminals.
“This doesn’t mean we discount the advantages of AI,” Malik points out. “It just means we need to be aware of the fact that AI is a tool. And bad guys can use it too.”
The SME Struggle
He’s right – AI is a tool. And it can be a valuable and useful one. But SMEs face specific challenges when it comes to integrating AI into their cybersecurity strategies.
“A big challenge faced by SMEs boils down to the bottom dollar,” Malik says. “Simply put, smaller businesses have smaller budgets. This can mean that they’re facing limited resources in terms of budget, skilled personnel, and infrastructure.”
Implementing AI-powered cybersecurity solutions may require upfront investments and ongoing maintenance. However, Malik suggests that SMEs can explore cloud-based AI solutions or consider partnering with managed security service providers (MSSPs) to overcome resource limitations.
AI algorithms heavily rely on high-quality, diverse, and labeled data to effectively detect and respond to cyber threats. SMEs may face challenges in collecting and managing such data. Malik advises SMEs to prioritize data hygiene practices, ensure data privacy compliance, and consider data-sharing collaborations to access relevant threat intelligence.
“I advise that AI-powered systems may generate false positives (flagging legitimate activities as threats) or false negatives (failing to identify actual threats),” Malik says. “You need to carefully calibrate AI systems and continuously train them using relevant and up-to-date data to reduce false alarms and improve accuracy.”
Good Robot
Despite the challenges, AI offers numerous opportunities and benefits for SMEs in strengthening their cybersecurity posture. One area is in threat detection and response, as AI can analyze vast amounts of data in real-time, enabling faster and more accurate threat detection. AI-powered solutions can proactively identify anomalies, predict potential attacks, and provide actionable insights to facilitate timely incident response.
AI can also automate routine cybersecurity tasks, such as log analysis, vulnerability scanning, and patch management. This allows SMEs to free up their IT teams’ time and resources, enabling them to focus on more strategic initiatives.
“We’re learning more about how AI systems can learn and adapt to evolving cyber threats, making them invaluable in detecting sophisticated attack patterns,” Malik affirms. “I advise the organizations to leverage AI’s ability to continuously learn from new threats and adjust their defense strategies accordingly, and the results are extremely promising.”
AI can enhance user authentication processes by leveraging behavioral biometrics, facial recognition, and anomaly detection. This helps SMEs strengthen access control mechanisms, mitigate the risk of unauthorized access, and protect sensitive data.
Living in an AI World
“AI is just one more technological advancement that can be used either for good or for evil,” Malik explains. “Cybersecurity is more complex now than ever before, and it can be tough for smaller companies to compete with their big brothers when it comes to protecting their data from cybercriminals.”
But, he says, SMEs can work with professionals to use the latest tech to protect their digital assets more effectively. AI presents immense potential in strengthening cybersecurity defenses, but SMEs need to be aware of the challenges and opportunities it brings.
“As many SMEs lack the budget for a full-time cybersecurity team, they can still reach out to an independent contractor or consultants for help,” Malik reveals. “SMEs are vulnerable in specific ways, but they can still adapt to harness the power of AI in their cybersecurity initiatives. AI is a tool. We should embrace it and make sure we’re doing our part to use it for the greater good.”
Embracing AI and staying vigilant can help SMEs proactively protect their businesses from emerging cyber threats and ensure a resilient and secure digital environment.
About Rouble Malik
Rouble Malik is a technology advocate with a strong interest in AI, cybersecurity, and data privacy. As an independent contributor, Rouble brings a unique perspective and a wealth of experience in the technology sector. He is passionate about raising awareness of data privacy issues, particularly among SMEs, and believes in the power of education as a fundamental tool for protecting against cyber threats.
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rouble-malik-70173654/
Website – https://rouble-malik.bio/
Medium – https://medium.com/@malik.rouble
For media inquiries, please contact Rouble Malik at https://rouble-malik.bio/contact/.
