Generative AI offers enormous benefits for companies. But it also represents a possible threat to IT security. The possible outflow of data from the company towards AI providers is particularly a problem.
According to Bitkom, 57 percent of companies in Germany are of the opinion that the spread of generative AI will endanger IT security because it can be exploited by cybercriminals.
A recent survey by Kaspersky confirms that these concerns are well-founded. The topic of generative AI still receives too little attention in board meetings in Germany: only a quarter (24,8 percent) have already discussed guidelines for its use.
Danger from data sharing
In addition to the risk that generative AI could be used for cyberattacks (see Bitkom), a possible outflow of data from the company towards AI providers worries managers in Germany. Because all data that employees enter into an AI application such as ChatGPT or Bard is passed on to third parties. No wonder, then, that half of the managers surveyed in Germany (50,4 percent) are concerned that employees could reveal sensitive company or customer data when entering information into AI platforms.
Use of generative AI difficult to control
David Emm, Principal Security Researcher at Kaspersky, comments on the use of generative AI and the associated security risks as follows: “Similar to BYOD, generative AI offers enormous productivity benefits for companies. But while our research shows that boardroom executives accept the use of AI in their companies, the extent of its use is not yet fully understood.
As the rapid development of artificial intelligence continues, its use is becoming increasingly difficult to control and secure. This applies to all important corporate functions such as HR, finance, marketing or even IT. “It is imperative that there is a thorough understanding of data management and the implementation of robust policies before any further integration of generative AI into the enterprise environment before deploying the technology.”
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About Kaspersky Kaspersky is an international cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky's in-depth threat intelligence and security expertise serve as the basis for innovative security solutions and services to protect companies, critical infrastructures, governments and private users worldwide. The company's comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection as well as a range of specialized security solutions and services to defend against complex and evolving cyber threats. Kaspersky technologies protect over 400 million users and 250.000 corporate customers. More information about Kaspersky can be found at www.kaspersky.com/
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