As new technologies are developed and honed, threat actors quickly learn that they can be used to infiltrate and steal valuable personal and business information and data. While the benefits of AI (artificial intelligence) does cover many industries, there are just as many that are using AI for nefarious purposes. This can be a double-edged sword as those that are professionals in cyber security are also learning to use AI in cyber defense.
AI first began to show itself in the deep fakes that appeared. In some cases, these are so well done that only those with high end software can detect that they are deep fake. Phishing has been a very successful tool used by cyber thieves and with the addition of AI they can disguise contacts so that they appear real and con individuals out of their money and personal ID’s.
Malware continues to be one of the most used by cyber criminals, with Ransomware having the greatest gain. This malicious software makes use of someone opening a file which downloads the software, locks the computer system/network through encryption and demands payment to unlock. Reports are showing that malware attacks have increased over 50% year-over-year.
Cybercriminals have been expanding their victim list to include many vulnerable organisations such as medical industries, schools, and legal firms. However, cyber security professionals are also using AI to combat these attacks. AI programs have been developed to analyse huge amounts of data and recognise patterns and anomalies. The sophistication of the software allows the system to predict potential risk factors before they have happened. Historically, cyber security experts have made use of what is called the “pyramid” or network as the focus of security analysis. The new attitude is to view the identity, which is a changeup of focus. Using multiple verification points, they can confirm that the correct people have access to the appropriate data at the right time.
RMM (remote monitoring and management) tools have been another shift made by cyber criminals. In this case, they make use of the tools that can access the system of a victim rather than requiring malware delivery. Cyber security teams are using AI to detect these access points to stop the process.
The cyber threat landscape continues to escalate as the threat actors use AI to target such areas as IO (intelligence operations) and election processes. Experts recognise that these criminals are expanding beyond their normal victim list and into social engineering. Organisations and businesses are waking up to the realisation that they need to bring onboard cyber security professionals such as DaVinci Cybersecurity to identify vulnerabilities and make the changes needed to protect proprietary data.
Interactive intrusion techniques continue to be a mainstay used by cyber criminals. In these cases the threat actors use hands-on-keyboard actions to accomplish their goals. They rely on a legitimate user to give them access, and in doing so, make it difficult to detect. The top industries where interactive intrusion has had the largest attacks include: Technology, consulting and professional services, manufacturing, retail, financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, government, industrial, and academic.
“As cyber threats continue to evolve DaVinci Cybersecurity maintains the top level knowledge to inform and help to protect clients. As professionals, we recognise the need to adjust and elevate our methods of protection to thwart cyber attacks.”
Sharon Knowles, CEO DaVinci Cybersecurity
Source:
https://go.crowdstrike.com
https://www.investec.com/en_za/focus/money/cybersecurity-in-south-africa-2024.html
