It sounds like a broken record, but since the coronavirus started spreading cyber criminals have ben taking advantage. Two posts in Cyber Security Intelligence address the subject.
An assessment by Interpol shows a change in focus by cyber criminals from individuals and small businesses to major corporations, governments and critical infrastructure. As organizations deploy remote systems and networks and employees work from home, criminals are taking advantage of increased security vulnerabilities.
Member countries in Interpol report that since COVID-19 started malicious domains have increased by 22%, malware and ransomware by 36%, phishing scams by 59% and fake news by 14%. Criminals are using COVID-themed scams to get personal data and spread malicious content It's anticipated that the future availability of a vaccine will result in another spike in attacks. Criminals are also using increasingly disruptive malware and deep fake technology.
There is a weapon against these attacks - artificial intelligence. AI can be used to deter and mitigate threats, and to build resilience. AI gathers threat intelligence from research papers, blogs and news stories to provide threat insights in reduced time. Together with machine learning it enables organizations to operate predictive security and automate reactive measures.
Not surprisingly, criminals are also using AI to uncover unsecured entry points to networks. To guard against these attacks, companies need the increased speed of detection that AI provides. They need to leverage big data, AI and automation to make accurate decisions at a faster rate than human analysis.
There are three strategies for using artificial intelligence as a core component of cyber security:
- Identify the areas where it can be applied most effectively.
- Invest in models to augment current security.
- Measure the ways AI adds value to cyber security.