It’s more and more probable that hackers will use AI, deep learning and machine learning to improve their cyber attacks, KPMG said in a new report. According to KPMG, organizations should also use these technologies to test weaknesses and detect threats.
KMPG advises companies “to avoid reflexively addressing automation or security telemetry issues with off-the-shelf, bolt-on AI tools.” Rather, the accounting firm says, “Cyber professionals should think about AI—and security in general—in the context of the organization’s longer-term platform strategy.” This will help cyber pros maintain a seat at the table amid strategic business planning.
Nicole Eagan, CEO of cybersecurity firm Darktrace, is similarly bullish on the role of AI in cybersecurity. ““It’s going to become AI against AI,” Eagan told Fortune. “It’s going to become a full-on war of algorithms.”
As Fortune notes, a December 2017 survey by cybersecurity firm Webroot found that 91% of cybersecurity pros indicated concern about cyber attacks using AI and machine learning. “I like to call it the era when the machines are going to fight back,” Eagan said.
Other recent reports suggested it may be wise to exercise skepticism about buzzy cybersecurity themes in general. Amit Yoran, CEO of another cybersecurity firm, Tenable, told CyberScoop that much of the industry is based on “fear-mongering” selling tools that aren’t broadly necessary.
“The millions of dollars that people are spending, all the hype and the sexy marketing and the AI and the anomaly-behavioral… whatever buzzword you want to use, it’s a bunch of smoke and mirrors,” Yoran said. “And I won’t call it useless, but it’s on the periphery of the issue when people still aren’t doing the basics.”
Meanwhile, a Login magazine review of patent filings found that “roughly speaking there is as much effort going into cybersecurity innovation within the domain of computers and networks as there is going into computers and networks overall.” The authors wrote, in conclusion, “We ask whether there really are this many new, useful, and nonobvious advances in cybersecurity.”