INDUSTRY REPORT
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cybersecurity
Findings from of a Worldwide AI Survey Reveals the Fears, Hopes and Plans of Cybersecurity Professionals
Three quarters of cybersecurity professionals believe the world is very close to encountering malicious artificial intelligence (AI) that can bypass most known cybersecurity measures. More than a quarter believe this will happen within the next year if it hasn’t happened already. 50% see it happening within 5 years. Phishing, social engineering tactics and malware attacks are those considered most likely to become more dangerous with the use of AI.
These are just a few of the findings of a recent worldwide survey on AI in cybersecurity, conducted by research firm Cybersecurity Insiders on behalf of Enea. The results of the survey have been compiled into a report that provides an in-depth, holistic view of how today’s cybersecurity professionals see AI and its impact on the industry. Findings have been grouped into fears, hopes, and plans to reveal the risks and benefits of AI, while useful insights and recommendations will help in navigating the constantly evolving threat landscape.
Download the report now to understand the impact of AI on cybersecurity and how you can implement a practical and realistic strategy to strengthen the protection of your networks.
“This report confirms growing concerns around the malicious use of AI, but it also highlights some remarkable innovations in the use of AI to streamline and automate defenses. Significant gains have already been made, such as a reduction in the average time it takes to detect and contain threats. However, AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution – it’s essential that businesses take a clear and methodical approach to implementing AI strategies in order to achieve maximum readiness and resilience.”
Laura Wilber, Sr. Industry Analyst, EneaAI in Cybersecurity
Report Key Findings
Some of report’s key findings, grouped under the themes of fears, hopes, and plans include:
Fears
76% of cybersecurity professionals believe the world is very close to encountering malicious artificial intelligence (AI) that can bypass most known cybersecurity measures. More than a quarter see this happening within the next year, and 50% in the next 5 years. Phishing, social engineering and malware attacks are seen as the top threats that will be strengthened by AI, but identity fraud, data privacy breaches, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks were also cited as likely to become more dangerous.
Hopes
AI is anticipated to bolster threat detection and vulnerability assessments, with intrusion detection and prevention identified as the domain most likely to benefit from AI. Deep learning for detecting malware in encrypted traffic holds the most promise, with 48% of cybersecurity professionals anticipating a positive impact from AI. Cost savings emerged as the top KPI for measuring the success of AI-enhanced defenses, while 72% of respondents believe AI automation will play a key role in alleviating cybersecurity talent shortages.
Plans
While a majority (61%) of organizations are yet to deploy AI in any meaningful way as part of their cybersecurity strategy, 41% consider AI as a high or top priority for their organization. And a hopeful 68% of respondents expect a budget increase for AI initiatives over the next two years.
INDUSTRY REPORT