Relying solely on technical IT security solutions is not enough to counter the immensely complex dangers of cybercrime posed by artificial intelligence (AI). Companies must also provide their employees with targeted training to raise awareness of potential dangers.
Artificial intelligence makes it easy to automate attacks and scale them up quickly – criminals have long been taking advantage of this. Even the less technically savvy can become hackers. They can identify vulnerabilities even faster and thus increase their chances of a successful attack. This applies in particular to zero-day exploits, i.e. exploiting security gaps that the manufacturer has not yet closed. If this succeeds, automated lateral movements follow, through which the attackers first penetrate a part and then deeper levels of the network. It takes over existing application sessions and, in the worst case, assigns itself authorizations (privilege escalation).
Interrupt lateral movements
A zero-trust architecture, which relies on continuous verification and authentication of all users and devices – regardless of their location and origin – is generally helpful. In addition, the principle of micro-segmentation, in which a network is divided into small, isolated segments. This reduces the attack surface by making lateral movement more difficult and prevents threats from spreading. Regular, secure backups and a tried and tested disaster recovery plan ensure that data can be restored quickly in the event of an emergency – provided that the backup systems are adequately protected.
AI-supported IDS and IPS (intrusion detection and prevention) systems are concrete countermeasures: AI solutions for anomaly detection scan data traffic for unusual activities or patterns and initiate appropriate countermeasures as soon as a pattern indicates a cyberattack. It is also advisable to implement a zero-day exploit defense and automated vulnerability management systems that identify unknown vulnerabilities using AI-supported security analyses. They help to identify and rectify security vulnerabilities at an early stage before they are exploited. Regular, AI-supported penetration tests can also be used to identify vulnerabilities at an early stage.
Deceptively genuine e-mails, deep fakes
A security vulnerability is always a prerequisite for access to the data. Alternatively, cyber criminals try to get their victims to voluntarily hand over data via sophisticated social engineering attacks. Everyone is now familiar with phishing campaigns with deceptively genuine emails, deep fakes or disinformation campaigns that are largely AI-generated. Such attacks are often much more difficult to detect than conventional cyberattacks. In addition to technical defense mechanisms, it is therefore important to provide training and education to raise user awareness of the dangers.
AI-supported phishing detection, for example, uses natural language processing (NLP) and image recognition methods to identify suspicious emails or websites. Modern IT systems do not rely on passwords alone, but work with behaviour-based authentication that analyzes user behaviour (typing speed, mouse movements or access times) and immediately reports or blocks atypical activities. AI-supported endpoint detection and response systems (EDR) check end devices for suspicious activities and automatically block malicious processes.
Deepfakes and disinformation
Deceptively real fakes of voices and videos, so-called deepfakes, are a dangerous tool in the hands of cyber criminals. The aim of such attacks is to damage companies financially or ruin their reputation. But there are effective countermeasures here too: Specialized detection software identifies manipulated media content before it causes damage. Training programs that make employees aware of how to deal with manipulated content and multi-level authentication procedures for financial processes also contribute to prevention.
AI-driven disinformation campaigns, such as fake news or manipulated social media posts, can also cause lasting damage to companies. They undermine the trust of customers, partners and the public – with long-term economic consequences. Countermeasures include intelligent monitoring tools for detecting fake news and proactive communication strategies. Close cooperation with operators of social media and news platforms helps to quickly remove false content and limit potential reputational damage.
AI-based malware and ransomware
AI also plays a central role in the development of malware: cybercriminals use it to develop malware faster and more flexibly. AI-based malware adapts rapidly to security measures and is often polymorphic – it constantly changes its structure to circumvent conventional protection systems. Companies must therefore rely on adaptive security solutions themselves: AI-supported detection systems with behavior-based analysis functions identify suspicious activities at an early stage and respond proactively to attacks.
Data theft and data manipulation
Stealing or deliberately manipulating sensitive data is another area where AI is often used. Attackers use machine learning algorithms to efficiently search through large amounts of data and automatically extract sensitive information. But the danger goes further: data can also be subtly altered – such as business figures, logistics data or market analyses. In this way, business decisions are manipulated, criminals gain access to confidential information and compromise central infrastructures in the long term.
Monitoring systems with AI-supported anomaly detection offer protection by detecting suspicious patterns in data streams and system behavior at an early stage. This should be supplemented by tamper-proof storage solutions, digital signatures and regular checks of checksums to ensure the integrity of critical data in the long term.
Conclusion
Cyberattacks, malware, deepfake fraud, automated disinformation campaigns, all supported by AI – corporate IT security is facing complex, unprecedented challenges. IT managers and security experts must deal with the diverse new AI threat scenarios and implement proactive security strategies. If you want to protect yourself effectively, you need to combine defense technology with awareness-raising.
