INDUSTRY VIEW

RENATO MIRABILI JUNIOR , INFORMATION SECURITY CONSULTANT AT PROTIVITI

Renato Mirabili Junior , Information Security Consultant at Protiviti , asks if AI is a help or hindrance to cybersecurity ?

In Brazil , for example , AI is the main learning subject for 45 % of Brazilians , according to the Workmonitor survey by Randstad , a recruitment and human resources company . The national average is above the global average and positions Brazil as a technology enthusiast country .

We can say that among the main activities of this technology are learning , reasoning , understanding ( and generating ) natural language , computer vision , voice and image recognition , decision making and planning , robotics , art and creativity , process automation , scientific research and resolution of complex problems .

Currently , AI is being applied by governments and private organizations of all sizes . Proof of this is a recent survey released by Microsoft and Edelman Communications revealing that 74 % of micro , small and medium-sized companies in Brazil use AI . Furthermore , its use is applied in various areas such as healthcare , education , finance and entertainment . But it is important to mention that as these applications grow , the need for more effective cybersecurity also arises .

According to a report by Netscout , Brazil is the main target of cyberattacks in Latin America , with almost 42 % of cases in the region . And it ’ s not only large organizations that are at the mercy of these cybercriminals . Small and medium-sized enterprises , due to low investment in security and infrastructure , and the end-user , due to the rise of the digital economy in the country , have become quite attractive victims .

Considering this aspect of ensuring all information , which is cybersecurity , should we assess AI as an ally or an enemy ?

Considering that AI cannot ( and should not ) replace humans , its role tends to be crucial in the fight against cyberattacks , automatically detecting threats , anomalies and even security automations faster .

Regarding the possibility of AI being used in cyberattacks , we can already consider this as a real threat , as cybercriminals , acquire technical knowledge , they also use AI to create vulnerabilities and increasingly powerful threats . Unlike traditional threats , AI-based attacks are potentiated by the ability to learn and adapt autonomously , enabling faster , more destructive and mass virtual crimes .

According to data from CrowdStrike , the average time of invasion , known as ‘ breakout time ’, is already at 62 minutes . In this case , we can say that a silent war is taking place , and cyberspace becomes a major battlefield .

Given this scenario in which AI assumes unprecedented power – for good and for bad , it is of utmost importance that there is collaborative work among cybersecurity professionals , business and risk management so that organizations are prepared and updated to deal with new attacks and opportunities that AI can provide . Moreover , it is necessary for there to be mutual collaboration between governments , organizations and society in general to create laws and compliance standards with the aim of ensuring that AI is used in a safe , integral , ethical and beneficial manner to all . •

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