How AI influences cybersecurity

Discover how AI and ML are revolutionizing the cybersecurity industry and learn how these tools can be used to detect and respond to security threats.

The cybersecurity industry is growing and evolving every day. As a result, there are many new technologies emerging. One of those is machine learning (ML).  

AI and cybersecurity: how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the security industry

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are revolutionizing the cybersecurity industry. The emergence of ML as a tool for detecting, predicting and responding to security threats has been a game-changer. In this article, we will demystify these terms and explain how AI is being used to enhance cybersecurity.

Michele Daryanani

Partner, Cyber Security

KPMG Switzerland

AI and machine learning in cybersecurity

Machine learning is the most powerful technology in cybersecurity today. It involves training computers to learn from data, allowing them to make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed. AI is a subset of ML and is used to detect, predict and respond to security threats.

AI is being used to turn big data into actionable information. It is also used in both defensive and offensive security. Defensively, AI is used to reverse engineer zero-day exploits, allowing developers to create patches for known vulnerabilities before they become public knowledge. Offensively, AI can detect and analyze anomalies from network traffic or user behavior patterns on endpoints such as laptops or mobile devices that may indicate unauthorized access to your system.

Types of attacks that AI can detect

AI can help detect and prevent attacks in all three categories. It can be used to detect and prevent new types of attacks by identifying them in the early stages and notifying the organization before they are executed. AI can also be used to detect and prevent existing types of attacks by analyzing patterns and using them as the basis for training artificial neural networks such as deep learning. AI has also been proven capable of detecting known forms of attacks such as SQL injections or cross-site scripting (XSS).

Benefits of incorporating AI into cybersecurity

The implementation of AI in cybersecurity provides several benefits, including the automation of security processes. AI allows for the efficient automation of many manual tasks that are currently performed by humans, resulting in reduced time spent on these tasks and better utilization of human resources. The use of machine learning algorithms helps computers find patterns and detect anomalies faster than any human, translating into higher detection rates for malicious activity and threats to your enterprise’s network infrastructure or data privacy. AI also enables organizations to respond more effectively to threats, with minimal disruption to business operations, while helping protect valuable assets from breaches by hackers or other malicious actors seeking sensitive information such as credit card numbers or social security numbers.

Reversing zero-day exploits using machine learning

The term zero-day exploit refers to a vulnerability that has not been disclosed to the public. Researchers use data collected from previous attacks, along with malware samples collected during investigations at both client sites and popular cybercrime forums, to build models that help them closely mimic real-life scenarios while also allowing them to spot anomalies that would otherwise be missed by humans alone. By using tools like honeypot infrastructure along with logs provided by clients as well as historical data collected over time through collective intelligence platforms, researchers can build models using ML techniques such as clustering algorithms.

How to make machine learning work for you in offensive security

With the rise of machine learning, there are many ways to make it work for you in offensive security. One way is to use ML to find vulnerabilities in code. You can use machine learning to scan through code and find potential issues or vulnerabilities that might otherwise go unnoticed by manual inspection. Another way is to create custom exploits using ML models. Machine learning can help generate tailored attacks based on network traffic or application behavior analysis, and they can also be used as part of larger attack frameworks when developing new attacks against an organization’s infrastructure.

Deep reinforcement learning algorithms (DARLA) allow machines to learn how to complete complex tasks by watching examples from humans doing them first. DARLA trains itself on human input instead of relying solely on pre-programmed instructions from programmers. This makes DARLA especially well-suited.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into cybersecurity is rapidly changing the security industry.

AI enables organizations to detect and respond to threats with greater speed and accuracy while also automating many manual tasks, freeing up valuable human resources.

The ability of AI to detect both known and unknown attacks, as well as the development of DARLA and clustering algorithms, shows the immense potential of AI in offensive and defensive security.

The continued evolution of AI and machine learning will undoubtedly play a critical role in the future of cybersecurity, making it more efficient, effective and secure for businesses and individuals alike.

Michele Daryanani

Partner, Cyber Security

KPMG Switzerland