The year 2023 could go down in history as the year of artificial intelligence (AI) – or at least the year that businesses and consumers alike raved about generative AI tools like ChatGPT.
IT security solution providers are not immune to this enthusiasm. At the RSA Conference 2023, one of the leading international conferences in the field of IT security, the topic of AI was addressed in almost every presentation - for good reason. AI has enormous potential to transform the industry.
Our security researchers have already observed the use of AI by hackers to create deceptive phishing emails and accelerate the construction of malware. The good news: Defenders are also using AI and incorporating it into their security solutions, because AI can be used to automatically detect and prevent cyber attacks. For example, it can prevent phishing emails from ever reaching your inbox. It can also reduce the time-consuming false alarms that plague IT teams and tie up manpower that would be better spent elsewhere.
However, with all the talk about artificial intelligence, it can be difficult to understand what is legitimate euphoria and what is just a marketing gimmick. As with any new technology, there is a learning curve and this can vary from organization to organization and user to user. Many companies are only now adding AI functions, others have been quicker and are already using them in their daily work. But anyone who is responsible for protecting their own company from the ever-growing threat landscape cannot avoid thoroughly testing new technologies before they are used.
So what should CISOs pay attention to when considering whether to incorporate AI into their IT strategy? I recommend approaching AI like you would a candidate for a job. It is important to assess effectiveness, user-friendliness and trustworthiness. The following three questions help with orientation:
1. How is AI used to improve IT defenses?
One of the advantages of AI is its creativity and its ability to make previously unknown – but meaningful – decisions. In 2016, Google DeepMind's AI AlphaGo beat reigning Go world champion Lee Sedol. Go is an ancient and extremely complex strategy game from Asia. During the game, AlphaGo made a move that confused Go experts. They thought the move was a strange mistake. But this move 37, as it subsequently became known, was actually the turning point of the duel, as Sedol was unable to counter it. It was a move that a human might never have thought of. A security solution must therefore use AI to prevent threats that other providers cannot detect.
2. What can the AI solution really do?
Given the current popularity of AI, many companies are in a hurry to add AI features to their products, or so they call it. But in the current economic climate, CISOs need to make their operations more efficient and justify their budgets more soundly than ever. There's no reason to pay for AI features that don't provide value. A third-party confirmation of the capabilities of the alleged AI solution shows whether it is actually profitable or just hot air.
3. Can AI technologies be relied upon?
AI models are only as good as the quality and quantity of data they are trained with. According to Stanford professor James Zou, one of the best ways to improve the trustworthiness of algorithms is to improve the data used to train the algorithm. A good AI solution provides real-time threat updates and already has a large customer base. The more customers, the more training data the AI has available.
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About check point Check Point Software Technologies GmbH (www.checkpoint.com/de) is a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions for public administrations and companies worldwide. The solutions protect customers from cyberattacks with an industry leading detection rate for malware, ransomware and other types of attacks. Check Point offers a multi-level security architecture that protects company information in cloud environments, networks and on mobile devices, as well as the most comprehensive and intuitive “one point of control” security management system. Check Point protects over 100.000 businesses of all sizes.
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