A cybersecurity provider has released the latest results of a survey of IT leaders. The data shows that AI is making it more difficult to detect phishing and smishing attacks, with 84 percent of IT leaders acknowledging the increasing challenge.
The emergence and continued evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming cybersecurity, introducing new levels of complexity in threat detection and defense. New research from Keeper Security, a leading provider of zero-trust and zero-knowledge solutions for protecting passwords, passkeys, privileged access and remote connections, shows that while organizations are implementing AI-related policies, there remains a significant challenge in being fully prepared to deal with AI-driven threats.
One in eight companies has AI usage policies for employees
According to the Keeper survey, 84 percent of IT and security leaders believe that phishing and smishing attacks - already a critical threat - are even more difficult to detect with AI tools. In response, 81 percent of companies have implemented AI usage policies for employees. Confidence in these policies is also high, with 77 percent of executives saying they are either very familiar or well-versed in AI security best practices.
Despite these efforts, the gap between policies and how AI-driven threats are addressed persists. Keeper's 2024 Top Data Threats report shows that 51 percent of security leaders view AI-powered attacks as the biggest threat to their organizations, and 35 percent believe their organizations are the least prepared to combat these attacks compared to other types of cyber threats.
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Read the best news from B2B CYBER SECURITY once a monthBasic cybersecurity practices are essential
To meet these new challenges, companies are focusing on several key strategies:
- Data encryption: This is the most widely used measure: 51 percent of IT leaders have included it in their security strategies. Encryption helps protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, which is critical for defending against AI-driven attacks.
- Training and awareness raising of employees: As a high priority, 45 percent of organizations are focusing on improving their training programs to better prepare their employees for the evolving threat landscape. Effective training can help employees recognize and respond to AI-powered phishing and smishing attempts.
- Advanced threat detection systems: With 41 percent of organizations investing in these systems, there is a clear focus on improving the ability to detect and respond to sophisticated, AI-driven threats. Advanced threat detection solutions can provide early warning and mitigate potential damage from these attacks.
The emergence of AI-driven cyberattacks presents new challenges. Basic cybersecurity practices – such as data encryption, employee training or advanced threat detection – remain essential. Organizations must ensure that these basic measures are regularly updated and adapted to new threats.
Proactive, advanced security solutions strengthen resilience
In addition to these basic measures, adopting advanced security frameworks such as Zero Trust and implementing Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions such as KeeperPAM can significantly improve resilience. Zero Trust ensures that every user, device, and application is continuously verified before accessing critical systems, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access and limiting the radius of spread in the event of an attack. PAM helps protect an organization's sensitive accounts by controlling, monitoring, and auditing privileged access, which is especially important for defending against sophisticated AI-driven attacks that target sensitive credentials.
Organizations should also be proactive by regularly reviewing their security policies, conducting routine audits, and fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness. Even as organizations make progress, cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field that requires constant vigilance. Combining basic practices with modern approaches like Zero Trust and PAM will help organizations stay ahead of evolving AI-powered threats.
Go directly to the report on KeeperSecurity.com
About Keeper Security Keeper Security is changing the way people and organizations around the world protect their passwords, secrets and sensitive information. Keeper's easy-to-use cybersecurity platform is built on the foundation of zero-trust, zero-knowledge security to protect every user and every device.