As I brainstormed ideas for a topic for this Security Byte, it became obvious AI is all the talk this last week in cybersecurity. So I figured, let’s add one more article to that mix! In all seriousness this is because AI and cybersecurity is really important. You have Sophos writing about large scale scams and Infosecurity Magazine writing about deepfake identity frauds. Then you have Infosecurity Magazine writing on how AI can boost malware detection and SC Magazine writing about preventing AI phishing attacks. These were only a small handful of articles and videos I saw while researching topics.
Lastly, on November 26, CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency) released an Alert about their publication of joint guidelines for securing AI development. So it really has been a big week in AI cybersecurity.
Starting with AI
As exciting as AI is, it is important to analyze its return on investment. Super exciting, I know. This goes even for free (no cost) versions. The investment is your data and the investment of money needed to fix any cybersecurity incidents that may occur. So think about policies and solutions needed to reduce your risk.
Policy, procedure, and implementations
Oh my! That is right, you will need policies, procedures, and an implementation plan. It is be really tempting to just start using your new AI chatbot, but having a policy or two about the types of data allowed to be used with it, the 3rd party integrations allowed, and an update to your privacy policy, if this impacts any changes.
Having procedures of how to use your new tool is also important. You can have step by step instructions on how to use it, the types of data allowed and more importantly not allowed to be used with it, and any best practices for your end users to follow.
Also have an implementation plan for your new AI tool. This way you will have a well thought out strategic plan in place for a successful release.
It’s about you
While there are cybersecurity solutions and safeguards that can help minimize your risks, it really comes back to you. This means being knowledgeable about using this new technology, the risks involved with it, and the best practices to minimize the risk of a cyber incident.
To learn more on why AI is all the talk and other cybersecurity threats, trends, and topics with a focus on small business, check out Small Business, Big Threat!