Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the world and making headlines. And businesses of all kinds are tapping into its potential: IDC forecasts that worldwide spending on AI-focused systems will reach $154 billion in 2023 and rise to more than $300 billion in 2026. We think that’s a modest figure.
Unfortunately, AI also has a dark side that is making headlines. Cybersecurity firm SlashNext recently confirmed how quickly hackers are adopting AI after discovering WormGPT, which ZDNet calls “the malicious cousin of ChatGPT,” a tool being promoted for sale on a hacker forum “specifically designed for malicious activities .”
And even scarier, SlashNext ran tests focused on business email compromise ( BEC ) that produced “disturbing” results. WormGPT crafted an email that was “not only incredibly persuasive, but also strategically cunning” to pressure an account manager into paying a fraudulent invoice. This means that a single malicious email can open the door to japan whatsapp data your data, where hackers can encrypt it and send you the ransomware note . Since your backups are almost always the target of an attack, they’re just as at risk. And soon after WormGPT, a new malicious AI tool for cybercrime called FraudGPT appeared on dark web marketplaces .
New vulnerabilities revealed by AI require you to do more to ensure the resilience of your data, even in the face of increasingly sophisticated attacks. Here are some steps you should take:
Using advanced cybersecurity technologies
The best way to fight AI is to use it. That’s why Arcserve Unified Data Protection (UDP) protects your data with Sophos Intercept X Advanced for Server, a security platform that safeguards your cloud, on-premises, or hybrid environments using deep learning AI that proactively prevents attacks. It also includes anti-exploit, anti-ransomware, and monitoring technology that stops threats before they can cause damage to your systems.
AI is being used across the cybersecurity landscape because it can quickly analyze and detect unusual activity that may indicate insider threats. AI is also used to analyze network traffic, identify potential intrusions, and analyze relationships between threats (malicious files or suspicious IP addresses, for example). From your endpoints to your data center and all the way to the cloud, invest in cybersecurity solutions that leverage AI so they can adapt as technology evolves.
Implementing Zero Trust Cybersecurity
A zero-trust approach to cybersecurity assumes that no entity should be trusted by default, only granting access to what a user needs and nothing more.
A zero-trust strategy uses identity and access management (IAM) technologies such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access controls (RBAC). MFA uses two or more verification methods to ensure that people trying to access your resources are who they say they are, while RBAC limits access to only the resources necessary for a person to do their job.
Biometrics add another layer of protection against malicious use of AI. In a recent article on Cybermagazine.com, the CEO of digital identity company Incode states , “AI liveness detection comes into play, ensuring the integrity of a biometric match by distinguishing both identity and liveness through AI. The technology uses facial recognition to determine if a biometric sample is being captured from a live subject who is present at the capture point – in other words, a real, live person behind the screen.” While it’s unclear at this point whether biometrics can solve the problem in the long run, it’s another step you can take to protect your data.