In the digital society, defenders are grappling with the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and the rise of Cybercrime-as-a-Service. Recent research commissioned by Darktrace reveals that 89% of global IT security teams believe AI-augmented cyber threats will significantly impact their organisations within the next two years, yet 60% feel unprepared to defend against these evolving attacks.
One notable effect of AI in cybersecurity is its influence on phishing attempts. Darktrace's observations show a 135% increase in 'novel social engineering attacks' in early 2023, coinciding with the widespread adoption of ChatGPT2. These attacks, with linguistic deviations from typical phishing emails, indicate that generative AI is enabling threat actors to craft sophisticated and targeted attacks at an unprecedented speed and scale.
Moreover, the situation is further complicated by the rise of Cybercrime-as-a-Service. Darktrace's 2023 End of Year Threat Report highlights the dominance of cybercrime-as-a-service, with tools like malware-as-a-Service and ransomware-as-a-service making up the majority of harrowing tools used by attackers. This as-a-Service ecosystem provides attackers with pre-made malware, phishing email templates, payment processing systems, and even helplines, reducing the technical knowledge required to execute attacks.
As cyber threats become more automated and AI-augmented, the World Economic Forum's Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024 warns that organisations maintaining minimum viable cyber resilience have decreased by 30% compared to 2023. Small and medium-sized companies, in particular, show a significant decline in cyber resilience. The need for proactive cyber readiness becomes pivotal in the face of an increasingly automated and AI-driven threat environment.
Traditionally, organisations relied on reactive measures, waiting for incidents to happen and using known attack data for threat detection and response. However, this approach is no longer sufficient. The shift to proactive cyber readiness involves identifying vulnerabilities, addressing security policy gaps, breaking down silos for comprehensive threat investigation, and leveraging AI to augment human analysts.
AI plays a crucial role in breaking down silos within Security Operations Centers (SOCs) by providing a proactive approach to scale up defenders. By correlating information from various systems, datasets, and tools, AI can offer real-time behavioural insights that human analysts alone cannot achieve. Darktrace's experience in applying AI to cybersecurity over the past decade emphasises the importance of a balanced mix of people, processes, and technology for effective cyber defence.
A successful human-AI partnership can alleviate the burden on security teams by automating time-intensive and error-prone tasks, allowing human analysts to focus on higher-value activities. This collaboration not only enhances incident response and continuous monitoring but also reduces burnout, supports data-driven decision-making, and addresses the skills shortage in cybersecurity.
As AI continues to advance, defenders must stay ahead, embracing a proactive approach to cyber resilience. Prioritising cybersecurity will not only protect institutions but also foster innovation and progress as AI development continues. The key takeaway is clear: the escalation in threats demands a collaborative effort between human expertise and AI capabilities to navigate the complex challenges posed by AI, automation, and Cybercrime-as-a-Service.
