an ally or a threat to cybersecurity?

A artificial intelligence (AI) is currently present in almost every aspect of our lives. However, its influence is particularly relevant in the field of cybersecurity, where it has an impact on both defense and attack.

While it has become an excellent tool for protecting an organization's digital assets, it has also been weaponized by cybercriminals to disseminate and execute increasingly sophisticated and difficult-to-detect cyberattacks.
CEOs are concerned about widespread or catastrophic cybersecurity attacks that could be triggered by the adoption of generative AI. The illegal use of ChatGPT, as well as other large language models (LLMs) on the dark web, has been a hot topic of discussion. Discussions have focused on a variety of cybersecurity threats, but common topics include malware development and other types of illegal use of language models, such as processing stolen user data and analyzing files from infected devices.
The fact that AI tools are improving the skills of less advanced cybercriminals, coupled with the increase in sharing of tips and techniques on the dark web, makes phishing and ransomware threats an even greater danger to organizations.

The growing use of Artificial Intelligence in cyberattacks
Despite efforts by generative AI tools like ChatGPT to implement barriers to malicious use of this technology, cybercriminals have found ways to circumvent them. Similarly, emerging alternatives like WormGPT, designed to exploit vulnerabilities, are being weaponized.
The most common threat techniques that use Artificial Intelligence include:

AI-generated phishing campaigns:Generative AI has revolutionized the way hackers create their phishing campaigns, allowing them to create more credible texts that are harder to detect. AI also saves them time, making their campaigns more effective.
Target search with the help of AI:Analyzing social media and other online data using machine learning algorithms allows attackers to gain valuable information about their targets, such as their interests, habits and vulnerabilities.
Intelligent vulnerability detection: AI-powered reconnaissance tools can automatically search for vulnerabilities in corporate networks, selecting the most appropriate exploit to carry out the attack.
Intelligent data filtering: During an attack, AI does not copy all available data. It has the ability to filter and select only the most valuable information to extract, making it harder to detect.
AI-Powered Social Engineering: AI can be used to generate deepfake audio or video in vishing attacks, using the voice and/or image of people with recognition and authority. This increases the credibility of the attack and can persuade victims to divulge sensitive information.

How to protect your business with advanced endpoint security
The use of generative AI to execute cyberattacks has increased the level of complexity of these attacks, which means that more robust defense mechanisms are needed to deal with new threats. The solution lies in the use of advanced endpoint security, which plays a key role in this defense.
Organizations should implement security solutions that prevent, detect, and respond to these types of threats, using behavioral analytics and machine learning to identify and block new and evolving malware. AI can help with patching to eliminate potential vulnerabilities and security flaws in your network.
Another clear advantage of this form of security is that it minimizes the risk of a data breach. A successful phishing campaign or the use of malware can compromise your company’s sensitive data. Advanced endpoint protection can prevent sensitive data leaks and protect your information from serious repercussions such as financial damage, loss of customer trust or reputational damage.
Because advanced protection solutions protect businesses from malware, many industries are required by law to use them, and their use ensures regulatory compliance.
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