By Suvabrata Sinha
In the ever-evolving battleground of cyberspace, the adversaries are not just lurking in the shadows anymore—they’re sprinting towards their targets with unparalleled speed. Cyber attackers are moving faster than ever, leaving defenders with increasingly narrow windows to thwart potential ransomware or data theft. The latest data paints a stark picture: in 2022, attackers took an average of 84 minutes to move laterally beyond the initial point of compromise. In 2023, that time shrunk to 62 minutes. And the fastest time observed? A mere two minutes and seven seconds. Imagine a thief entering your house and ransacking your entire home in the time it takes to make a cup of coffee. This is possible because the bad actors have successfully weaponized Artificial Intelligence to create new hacking tools that allows them to analyse their targets’ weak points as well as attack with speed that they never had before.
The good news? What the bad actors can do, we can do better. AI is proving to be an invaluable tool in the portfolio of businesses who want to secure themselves.
Outsmarting cybercriminals: From reactive to proactive strategy
Organizations are increasingly turning to AI to reinforce their defenses, leveraging its capabilities to detect and respond to threats with unprecedented speed and accuracy. AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of data in real time and identify patterns that might elude human analysts makes it an indispensable tool in the modern cybersecurity arsenal. As cyber threats continue to evolve, the integration of AI into security strategies is not just beneficial—it’s essential.
Fighting AI with AI: Smart strategies, Strong security
AI is a security superpower; Enterprises can effectively counter both AI-driven and traditional attacks at every stage by implementing AI throughout the attack chain. In the initial phase of identifying the attack surface, AI-driven insights empower enterprises to detect and address vulnerabilities in their internet-connected attack surface, thus minimizing the chances of breaches. In the compromise stage, AI plays a crucial role in preventing unauthorized access by disrupting sophisticated attacks while ensuring uninterrupted productivity. In addition, AI-driven functionalities like phishing and command-and-control (C2) prevention offer protection against credential theft, browser exploitation, and the analysis of traffic patterns, behavior, and malware. The implementation of AI-powered sandboxing allows for the immediate identification and isolation of highly suspicious files, all while ensuring uninterrupted user productivity, unlike traditional systems. Furthermore, AI can effectively address web-based threats such as malware, ransomware, and phishing without resorting to unnecessary blocking, thereby reducing the number of help desk tickets and enhancing overall web security.
Redefining Cybersecurity with ‘Defend Forward’
In today’s dynamic digital landscape, the urgency for proactive cybersecurity has never been more critical. At the forefront of this mission is the visionary ‘Defend Forward’ strategy, heralded by pioneers in cybersecurity. This approach empowers organizations not just to react, but to foresee and nullify threats before they materialize. By harnessing cutting-edge AI-driven technologies—embracing threat intelligence, proactive threat hunting, automated mitigation, continuous monitoring, and collaborative defense—businesses can establish formidable defenses against the most sophisticated cyber threats. This proactive stance not only safeguards sensitive data but also ensures resilience in the face of evolving digital challenges.
(The author is Suvabrata Sinha, CISO-in-Residence, India, Zscaler, and the views expressed in this article are his own)
