Data Health Check 2024 reveals optimism & concern about AI in cybersecurity. While AI boosts defenses, it also introduces new threats, requiring risk mitigation.
First launched in 2008, the Data Health Check 2024 explores trends in cyber, business continuity, ransomware, insurance – and in a first for 2024 – artificial intelligence.
In a survey of 500 UK IT, resilience, and cyber security professionals, almost two-thirds are optimistic about AI’s potential to enhance their security. Small companies are an exception to this finding, with more than half considering AI to be more of a threat than a benefit.
Rapid advancements in AI and its increasing use in creating advanced cyber threats are likely contributing to apprehension among these organizations. While around a third of survey participants have not assessed AI as a risk, the data suggests it is a growing priority.
Before 2019, just two percent of organizations had completed an AI risk assessment. Within the past five years, that figure has grown to 65%. Chris Butler, Resilience Director at Databarracks, commented, “Artificial intelligence will reshape the cyber security landscape. The question is whether that is for the better or the worse.
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The Data Health Check 2024 has shown that attitudes towards AI are mixed, closely tracked by our experience and everyday customer conversations. As with any technology, AI can be used for good or nefarious purposes. From bespoke phishing emails to convincing deepfake videos, the potential criminal applications of the technology are becoming increasingly clear.
However, we can also benefit from rapid advances in the field to protect ourselves. Whether it is used to streamline the workflows of cybersecurity teams or to detect potential threats independently – AI is an invaluable defensive tool.
With AI-enhanced threats increasing in frequency and complexity, IT professionals remain positive about their potential to secure their organizations. We recently hosted the Cyber Recovery Wargame, an interactive crisis scenario in which guests were tasked with managing a recovery from a major cyber-attack. Many guests expressed that they are keenly focused on emerging AI risks but also recognized their growing role in resilience.
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For some, AI is another tool that criminals use to carry out the same attacks as before—albeit with increased complexity. This ability to enhance existing capabilities is exactly why there is still a case for AI optimism. While we often think about how AI will shape the future of cyber security, it is already a vital tool in analysis, detection, and identification. Cyber is an arms race between attackers and security professionals that demands we continually innovate our defenses.”
