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Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most important technological developments of the digital age. In particular, generative AI (GenAI), which can create realistic text, images, and other content, has evolved from a fun online tool to an essential part of many services and applications that organizations rely on. lean on.

This application change came at a crucial time. With more people working from home during the pandemic, businesses have begun to rely on cloud-based services and connected networks, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices and industrial equipment. These networks have become more complex and fluid, making it difficult to maintain existing, more traditional security systems.

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Today, AI is used to complement traditional network operations center (NOC) and security operations center (SOC) teams by reacting more quickly to network changes and spotting potential threats more quickly. than its human counterparts.

Challenges in the cybersecurity sector

The cybersecurity industry faces a major obstacle. There is There is a growing shortage of cybersecurity skills globally, but the lack of experienced professionals is particularly critical in Canada. Nearly 90 percent of organizations in Canada have suffered a breach in the past year that they can partly attribute to a lack of cyber skills and 70 percent attribute the increase in cyber risks to a lack of skills. according to a recent report. Additionally, it is estimated that 157,000 professionals would be needed in Canada to fill the labor gap. This lack of skilled labor and cybercriminals taking advantage of new vulnerabilities created the perfect storm. AI can help organizations keep up with the pace and sophistication of modern threats.

Another challenge within the industry is that most current security tools come from different vendors, failing to correlate and contextualize threat information within an organization. This makes it difficult to accurately detect and respond to more advanced cyberattacks, such as ransomware, malware and others designed to bypass security systems. As a result, many organizations end up reacting to cyberattacks rather than preventing them.

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Not all AI solutions are the same

AI can play a critical role in ensuring the security of an organization’s hybrid workforce, particularly as we seek to overcome ongoing industry-wide challenges, but it’s important to remember that Not all AI-based security tools are the same. To capitalize on the new wave of AI, many vendors are engaging in “AI washing,” claiming to integrate AI into their products but producing mediocre results.

When looking to implement AI solutions, it’s important to research and ask questions to ensure vendors offer solutions to keep your business secure. It can be difficult to sift through the noise, but the following questions are a great starting point for evaluating AI-based cybersecurity solutions to capitalize on your investment and achieve strong results:

Does your AI-based solution work with other tools and technologies?

For AI to be most useful, it must work across multiple solutions, not just in one isolated domain.

How often is your AI model updated?

AI models must be continually updated to deal with new and evolving threats. Ask the vendor how long the company has been working with AI and what methods they use to train their models to ensure this is something they incorporate into their product.

Can your AI-powered solution leverage network intelligence to detect threats early?

Many threats start long before triggering security alarms. By integrating real-time network intelligence, AI solutions can detect a threat early in the attack cycle, before it impacts the endpoint, the network or the cloud.

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Does your AI-powered solution provide a unified, holistic view across the entire security landscape? Today’s hybrid networks span offices, data centers, clouds and remote workers. A good AI solution should cover all parts of your network, not just one segment, to give you complete visibility and control and avoid gaps that put you at risk.

Can your GenAI service help fill a specific skills gap and improve productivity?

GenAI can support lower-level analysts by helping them resolve issues faster, allowing your security team to focus on more complex issues.

How does your GenAI service manage privacy and compliance?

Make sure the AI ​​tool complies with regulations and protects sensitive data. It is important that the GenAI service does not send any of your data to third-party systems, especially when it involves intellectual property or sensitive information.

Ensuring secure adoption and development of AI

Adopting AI into your cybersecurity systems offers great opportunities, but it also comes with challenges. While AI tools can improve the way your business operates and help protect against cyberattacks, it’s important to keep in mind that cyber adversaries are likely using the same AI technologies for malicious purposes.

When considering AI-based security solutions, it’s important to look beyond marketing tactics and think carefully about the long-term benefits and potential risks of using these tools. Above all, organizations must ensure that AI-enabled cybersecurity improves their security and resilience rather than introducing additional risks.

This story was provided by Fortinet for commercial purposes.

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