Artificial Intelligence In Cyber Security : A Complete Guide

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cyber Security refers to incorporating AI technology into Cyber Security to simplify complicated operations. It offers more dependability, security, and independence. AI in Cyber Security was valued at more than 10 billion GBP in 2020, with a projected growth of 46.3 billion GBP by 2027.    

Data sharing via the internet is becoming faster as technology evolves. Because of the vast amount of data, Cybersecurity Analysts and Software Developers increasingly rely on Machine Learning (ML) and AI algorithms to protect themselves against hackers. 

Artificial Intelligence is a ground-breaking Cybersecurity technology that can alert firms to intrusions long before they occur. Not only can AI foresee future attacks, but it can also defend against them and eliminate them before they create havoc. AI's capacity to analyse patterns, online activity, and data collecting enables all this. 

Read this blog to understand what is Artificial Intelligence in cyber security and more:

Table of Contents

1) What is Artificial Intelligence?

2) What is Cyber Security?

3) Benefits of incorporating Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity

4) How is Artificial Intelligence used in Cyber Security?

5) Ways in which Artificial Intelligence can prevent cyber attacks

6) Real-world examples of Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Security

7) Conclusion

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What is Artificial Intelligence? 

Artificial Intelligence is a vast field in Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science (CS). This emerging technology aids in developing intelligent systems with human-like skills, allowing them to accomplish activities that previously required human intervention and intellect.  

AI employs a variety of technologies, including Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning, Neural Networking, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and others. AI uses these to create robots that can learn independently and replicate human activities to accomplish various tasks. 

What is Cyber Security? 

As more data is transmitted to online resources and databases, cybercriminals have found it simpler to acquire unauthorised access, exploit, and leak this data. The primary purpose of Cyber Security is to protect servers, computers, networks, mobile devices, and critical online information from different threats and malicious activities.  

Cyber assaults can be in the form of trojans, viruses, data breaches, phishing attacks, and other similar activities that render the system exposed and susceptible to attack. This is why it is critical to safeguard them from such attacks using a variety of Cybersecurity tactics and approaches. 
 

Benefits of incorporating Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help monitor cybercriminals who attempt to compromise network systems by automating cyber threat detection. This is because cyberattacks are evolving quickly in today's digitised world, as modern electronic devices are being employed excessively.  

Here are some of the advantages and applications of Artificial Intelligence in cybersecurity.   

AI can adapt and learn new things 

AI can use deep learning and machine learning to improve network security. This allows it to recognise network patterns and detect deviations before responding.  

This can assist in achieving airtight security in the long term by identifying and blocking possible risks. It's no surprise that hacking Artificial Intelligence is almost impossible. 

AI can handle loads of data 

A company's network often handles hundreds of operations and a high traffic volume. Every day, a big volume of data is transferred between the company and its customers. If sensitive information is not secured, the organisation can lose customers. 

AI is the finest method for safeguarding software from hostile attacks and humans. Unlike humans, it can identify threats disguised in everyday activities. The automation can quickly scan enormous amounts of traffic and data, safeguarding the firm from threats and viruses.  

AI can identify threats 

No matter how many resources you devote to security, certain attacks will slip undetected. Every year, hackers launch millions of assaults against businesses. Threats can significantly harm a network if they are not recognised and addressed on time, affecting business operations. 

Today, hackers are experimenting with new methods, such as utilising social engineering to launch malware attacks that are hard for humans to detect. However, Artificial Intelligence has been shown to be the most effective tool for recognising and preventing random threats from harming a business. 

Breach risk prediction 

AI systems assist in determining the IT asset inventory, which is a precise and detailed record of all devices, users, and apps with varying levels of access to various systems. 

Based on the asset inventory and threat exposure, AI-based systems can predict how and where you are most likely to be compromised. This allows you to plan and allocate resources to the most vulnerable areas. 

The AI-based analysis provides predictive insights that allow you to set and optimise policies and procedures to strengthen your cyber resilience. 

How is Artificial Intelligence used in Cyber Security? 
 

Cyber Security attacks are becoming more sophisticated as the number of linked devices increases rapidly. Compared to traditional software-driven methodologies, AI is the only way to automate threat detection and respond instantaneously. 

In cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence is a self-learning management system that can be trained by various technologies to acquire data from multiple corporate systems. After collecting the data, it is examined and cross-checked against billions of signals to guarantee that it is not vulnerable to attack. 

When anything unusual occurs, AI can notify you and take action, including sending a message to the head of IT or restoring the business's safety following a ransomware attack.    

AI technology is used in various cybersecurity categories, such as: 

Effective control 

Understanding the impact different security processes and AI technologies running in the firm can have on building and managing a robust security wall is essential. With AI, it is feasible to obtain insight into where these technologies and programmes are vulnerable and where they are strong.   

Threat Exposure 

Hackers stay up to date on the newest hacking trends and tactics. As a result, their attacking strategies alter in accordance with the trends. Companies will be able to gain knowledge of the various global cyber threats and attacks with the help of AI-based cyber systems, allowing them to make significant decisions based not only on the threat that could attack the organisation but also on which threats are more likely to attack the organisation. 

Reducing false positives 

With the increase in false positives, time that could be spent on actual problems is being taken away. However, with the application of AI in cybersecurity, the number of false positives can be minimised, resulting in less time and less wastage of resources. 

AI can swiftly analyse a wide range of security threats and events, including identifying risky behaviour and malware that might lead to releasing sensitive data.   

IT asset Inventory 

This allows for an accurate and full inventory of users, devices, and applications, regardless of access to information systems.  

Incident response 

AI-based systems can provide better context for responding to and prioritising security warnings, responding quickly to incidents, and determining the root cause of issues to address vulnerabilities and prevent future problems. 

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Ways in which Artificial Intelligence can prevent cyber attacks 

As the number of cyber-attacks grows, AI assists small-to-medium-sized enterprises and protects bigger organisations against malicious attacks. 

Here's how AI can help prevent cyber-attacks: 

Detecting spam or impersonation 

Cyber attackers will try to imitate a corporation to deceive their target, a common occurrence that many organisations face. On the other hand, companies can sift through a plethora of information to develop algorithms that detect patterns and comprehend behaviour, allowing anomalies to be identified.  

AI can spot spam and impersonating emails with this algorithm by paying close attention to the message content and issuing warning signals when required.   

Keeping DNS data secure 

Cybercriminals frequently exploit DNS (Domain Name System) to control sensitive consumer data and corporate information. AI can scan millions of DNS requests to identify criminals and prevent them from attacking company servers. 

Hackers can intercept DNS requests and provide customers with bogus replies. This is a significant issue that thousands of businesses encounter on a regular basis. DNS poisoning is responsible for 70% of all cyber-attacks. 

Artificial Intelligence can not only detect and eradicate online threats, but it can also limit access to malicious websites. Consider AI as a thick layer of security against the internet, which can be a dangerous area full of hackers if you're not vigilant. 

Authencity protection 

Nothing is more important than authentication in terms of cybersecurity. Even as fraudsters' skills evolve, AI improves authentication by continually recognising and responding to threats. 

For example, if a person moves to a new location, starts using a different device, or attempts to access financial data unrelated to their line of work, AI will prompt them to authenticate their identity. 

Furthermore, Artificial Intelligence provides real-time visibility while focusing on login attempts to minimise risk thresholds. 

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Real-world examples of Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Security 

Here are some real-world examples of Artificial Intelligence for Cyber Security: 

Vehicle bomb detection 

UVeye, an Israeli firm, has created a machine learning and Artificial Intelligence system that analyses the bodies of moving vehicles and notifies security personnel of potential threats. 

This AI system employs high-resolution cameras to capture 3D photos of anything unusual, including narcotics, weapons, and explosive devices. According to the business, the system will function best with vehicles going at 28 MPH, allowing it to spot irregularities that people commonly overlook.  

In this situation, Artificial Intelligence plays a crucial role in accessing mountains of data to account for every passing car and obtain manufacturer information from moving vehicles in real time. AI can identify minor discrepancies, such as weight and part placement. Furthermore, it listens to any suspicious audio and warns authorities in the case of a threat. 

Home security 

As ML and AI gain popularity, the home security industry will be valued at £60.6 billion by 2023. 

Because traditional home security systems are prone to false alarms and human mistakes, AI plays a significant role in home security. Lighthouse AI is a system that can provide warnings about dogs, humans, or anything suspicious while you are not at home. 

The Lighthouse app can keep you up to date on activities, whether your cat is wandering across the living room or an invader is leaping your property gate. You can programme the app to not deliver alerts to those you consider friends or family. 

When integrated with Artificial Intelligence, home security cameras have evolved into valuable assets in which every homeowner should invest. Conventional security systems would cause pandemonium by notifying the authorities of even the smallest movement, even if there were no risks. 

AI for the military 

Artificial Intelligence has enormous potential in the military. However, this is not an option since the military makes decisions rapidly. Humans can only handle so much information before overloading and reaching a halt.  

To combat human mistakes, a US business developed Shield AI, an Artificial Intelligence-powered surveillance system designed specifically for military personnel. It uses a machine-learning programme that assists vehicles in learning about their environment. As a result, military forces on the ground can investigate complex regions such as caves, tunnels, and buildings, lowering the risk to human life. 

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Conclusion

As data becomes more critical in decision-making, AI has infiltrated several enterprises, corporations, and industries, including cybersecurity. Various cybersecurity businesses worldwide have begun to recognise the value of AI in everyday operations as they include learning algorithms into their services and protect themselves from security threats.   

One cannot dispute that AI technologies assist human security teams in excelling at their work by identifying threats and providing a detailed analysis. After all, people are incapable of keeping track of the constantly shifting attack surfaces made possible by modern enterprises.