Businesses are integrating AI into cyberdefences yet most aren’t prepared for the increased threat and risks of the technology, according to cloud email security specialist Hornetsecurity.
Daniel Hofmann, chief executive officer at Hornetsecurity, said in the related press announcement that while 74% of businesses integrate AI into their defences, a concerning 26% have yet to use AI to assist them against threats.
“Businesses must recognise the potential of AI in tackling cyber threats and integrate it in their security strategies to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated attacks,” he suggested.
The Hornetsecurity comments cited its recent C-suite survey suggesting nearly half of UK-based businesses have already been victims of cyberattack.
Three in five organisations indicated they were increasingly worried about the potential for AI to assist those attacks as well, with AI-assisted phishing based cyberattacks a leading concern, the vendor said.
“One in 10 described themselves as ‘not ready at all’ for a zero-day cyberattack (for example),” the announcement said.
“The increased sophistication of these attacks, largely attributed to AI facilitating the process of threat creation, has been acknowledged by 85% of respondents.”
Just one in five of the businesses in the survey indicated they felt “well prepared” for zero-day attacks, where cybercriminals take advantage of unknown or unidentified flaws in an IT environment to penetrate an organisation.
AI can help automate cybersecurity training, threat detection, monitoring, and management of attack risk. At the same time, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has noted that access to generative AI in particular lowers the barrier of entry to less skilled cyber attackers.
“Fifty-eight percent (in the survey) identify AI-enhanced phishing attacks … as their top worry,” Hornetsecurity said.
“Deep-fake technology also emerges as a significant concern, with 39% of businesses worried about its potential use in cyberattacks.”
Hornetsecurity’s Hofmann added that companies should not just invest in new technologies but strengthen all technical and human defences against an ever-evolving threat landscape; 74% of respondents agreed the role of AI in cybersecurity is set to grow over the next five years.
The March 2024 survey by marketing firm Perspectus Global garnered responses from 516 UK-based executives, the company said.
US-based Hornetsecurity offers cloud-based security, compliance, backup, and security awareness applications to Microsoft 365-based organisations. It recently announced a €3.8m (£3.2m) expansion of its Vade datacentre in Lille, France, to increase availability of its cybersecurity services.
