by Rafael Leopoldo
The cyber threat landscape in Brazil has never been as complex as it is today. In addition to the country being a recognized breeding ground for hackers from all over the world, intensified by a parallel market of local fraudsters, cybersecurity teams have to face a constant barrage of attacks that are only increasing in frequency and sophistication. In Brazil, a report by Apura Cyber Intelligence pointed to a 220% increase in ransomware attacks in 2023, compared to the previous year.
This avalanche of security alerts and incidents makes it difficult to maintain effective security throughout an organization. Many companies do not have the necessary number of cybersecurity professionals to respond adequately to alerts. According to ABES (Brazilian Association of Software Companies), Brazil faces a shortfall of 70,000 qualified information security professionals, a figure that is set to grow with the digitalization of companies.
That’s why generative AI is a potential tool that companies can use to scale human-led cyber defenses. And the technology is already present in various cybersecurity solutions.
Expanding security knowledge with AI
Generative AI has tremendous potential in the security field, being able to expand knowledge and best practices by providing automated remediation steps and guidance.
With the use of generative AI, professionals don’t have to focus so much on teaching a specific remediation technique or instructing on the use of a specific technology. The focus shifts to teaching which AI workflows or prompts should be used in different scenarios.
Several cybersecurity solutions are already adopting generative AI, improving security results, remediation time and the learning curve for the analysts operating the solutions. Using natural language processing (NLP) to support security teams in processes such as incident response, threat hunting and security posture management makes it easier for today’s cybersecurity teams to manage today’s multitude of tasks and systems.
More than that, AI also helps to lower the technological barrier between different technical levels of professionals – leveling knowledge about specific types of attack, remediation techniques, security platforms, among other cases.
The “magic” of AI with automation and predictive analysis
Once “equipped” with Artificial Intelligence, security solutions can detect and respond to security incidents in real time, minimizing the impact of attacks. Automation makes it possible to quickly identify threats and carry out corrective measures without immediate human intervention, which is vital in a scenario where cyberattacks are increasingly rapid and complex.
AI can also analyze large volumes of data to predict possible threats before they occur. Using advanced machine learning techniques – and access to use cases as well as databases of attack information – it is possible to identify patterns and anomalous behaviors that may indicate an imminent attack. This predictive analysis allows companies to adopt a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to cyber security.
Another point is that, with Artificial Intelligence, it is possible to truly customize cybersecurity solutions for each company. AI algorithms can be trained to understand an organization’s specific environment and adapt security measures to protect the most critical assets.
Finally, AI helps security teams with one of the operation’s biggest challenges: false positives, which take up time and resources to double-check – which needs to be done by a human. AI can help filter out these alerts, allowing security professionals to focus on real threats. AI systems can interpret and contextualize alerts, significantly reducing the workload and increasing the accuracy of responses.
In short, AI is a powerful ally in the fight against cyber threats, bringing efficiency, precision and innovation to the field of cybersecurity. As companies continue to adopt this technology, they will be better placed to protect their data and operations against the increasingly sophisticated attacks of hackers.
Rafael Leopoldo is Director of Growth and Technology at Selbetti