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Why Security Must Be a Priority, ETCISO
No cybersecurity without AI is a business risk waiting to happen. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gone from technology of the future to a requirement for business. From financial services and healthcare to manufacturing and retail, AI is being used to boost productivity, enrich customer journeys, automate processes and to make quicker decisions. AI adoption is a necessity for businesses looking to stay competitive in today’s business landscape.
But, with the rapid pace at which organisations are adopting AI, another significant consideration is in what proportion are they investing in AI security versus AI itself?
Data, cloud, APIs, applications and connected services are the backbone of every AI system. These technologies allow innovation but also create an increased attack surface for cybercriminals. Lacking suitable protection, AI can be a liability for the business as well as an asset.
AI opens opportunities for both businesses and attackers
AI has already become a part and parcel of customer service, financial systems, supply chains, and enterprise applications. With the increasing reliance on intelligent systems within businesses, attackers are turning attention from conventional IT systems to AI models, training data, and data pipelines.
AI has become the favorite tool of cybercriminals
Just like any other type of business, AI is changing the landscape of cybercrime as quickly as it changes the landscape of business. AI is now being leveraged by cybercriminals to automate phishing attacks, find vulnerabilities, produce malicious code, and even develop fake voice and video clips.
Phishing emails are hard to spot because they often look like real business correspondence, and are generated by artificial intelligence. There is even greater difficulty with deep fake technology. Now imagine a Chief Financial Officer who is getting a video call from the CEO who asks him to move the money to another account immediately. All of the face, voice and conversation appear natural. The executive takes the word and authorizes the payment, only to find out later that the CEO didn’t place the call.
Such attacks are not just about the money, they erode the trust in digital identities as well. Businesses are no longer dealing with constant threats, but with new ones who are constantly learning and evolving, just as businesses are doing with the very tools they’re using.
Traditional cybersecurity is not sufficient. You need 24×7 SOC monitoring
Firewalls, antivirus, security audits and manual investigations are still important but they were for a different threat environment. Cyberattacks today are happening around the clock and frequently are not detected until considerable harm is done.
Organizations must be able to monitor everything, from endpoints to cloud systems to email servers, networks, business applications and user activity in real-time. An AI-driven Security Operations Center (SOC) is staffed by trained cybersecurity experts that are always on the lookout for suspicious activity, prioritise real threats and fast-track incident response. Instead of responding to a breach, businesses can detect and contain threats before they cause disruption to business operations.
Imagine How cybercrime can impact AI
When AI starts to interact with the physical world, the risks are even greater. In 2015, security researchers showed they could hack into the Uconnect system of the connected Jeep Cherokee to hijack its headlights, horn, and other features. The incident resulted in the recall of around 1.4 million vehicles, and the dangers of software vulnerabilities became a physical safety hazard in no time.
Now, add real-time decision-making in an autonomous car and you have the opportunity to envision AI in action.Now, add real-time decision making in an autonomous car and you get the chance to imagine AI at work. The cybercriminal doesn’t have to control everything. If this sensor data is manipulated, if an API is compromised, or if an interfered with system is connected, the AI could make a wrong decision, endangering passengers and pedestrians.
The Shift from Data Theft to Decision Manipulation
Healthcare is yet another serious scenario. Imagine a hospital that employs AI to assist clinicians with patient prioritization.Imagine a hospital where AI systems support doctors in prioritizing patients. Attacks can be made on patient information that is being inputted into the AI system, and may lead to misguided treatment prioritization without disrupting the system’s normal operation.Patient information fed into the AI system can be tampered with, and the AI may still function normally while making wrong treatment decisions. Physicians can unwittingly follow misguided advice, with a direct impact on patient safety.
The same applies to manufacturing. AI is taking the place of human workers in observing, forecasting and managing machinery and production lines. Attackers can alter the data from the sensors, and AI can determine that the equipment is working correctly, while in fact there are hidden issues. This may lead to faulty products, damaged machines, delays in production, monetary losses, and even a threat to workers’ safety.
The examples are illustrative of a general trend in cybersecurity. Traditional cyber attacks were ones that involved the theft of information or system disruption. AI offers another option: to manipulate the information fed into intelligent systems that make decisions.
The future of AI lies in trust. Trust will be the key to the future of AI.
How fast organisations can take up AI will not be the deciding factor in the future of the technology, it will be how quickly they can do it safely. Cybersecurity is the foundation that enables trustworthy AI. By incorporating security at each phase of the AI lifecycle, businesses can better safeguard sensitive information, ensure continuity, meet changing regulations, and foster customer and stakeholder trust.
The author is Subir Sangal, CEO, Eagle Information Systems.
Disclaimer: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETCISO does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETCISO shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organization directly or indirectly.
