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AI Adoption and Security: Why Businesses Must Act Now

In this interview with Karthikeyan, Co-founder and COO of SecurDI, we delve deeper into understanding the threats posed by AI and how to build a robust security infrastructure to safeguard your GenAI applications
Understanding AI and Security

Q. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into various industries, what do you see as the most pressing security challenges that organizations face today?

We are in the very early stages of AI adoption, where the primary focus is on achieving business outcomes rather than security. For most organizations, especially smaller ones with budget constraints, security is not an immediate priority. Unfortunately, this is the stage where bad actors are most active, exploiting the uncertainty and causing significant damage while companies are still figuring out how to manage these emerging risks.
However, the top three security challenges organizations face are:

Speaker – Karthikeyan Krishnan, COO

1.Unpreparedness for worstcase scenarios: Many organizations lack welldeveloped playbooks and business continuity programs, making them vulnerable in the event of a significant security breach.

2.
Lack of robust IAM programs: Identity and Access Management (IAM), the first line of defence for any organization, is often underdeveloped. Many organizations struggle with implementing robust IAM solutions. This is where companies like ours play a critical role, providing tailored implementations that cater to specific industry verticals and products, safeguarding against emerging AI threats.

3.
Lack of continuous monitoring and auditing: Continuous monitoring and auditing of systems and AI applications is essential, yet many organizationsparticularly smaller ones with limited budgetsfall short in this area. Without
ongoing oversight, vulnerabilities can go undetected, increasing the risk of exposure.

The Evolution of AI Threats

Q. AI security threats have evolved significantly over the past few years. What are some of the newer, lesser-known threats that organizations should be aware of?

Initially, AI threats primarily accelerated traditional threats like phishing and Trojan attacks. However, newer, lesser-known threats include an over-dependence on AI and the use of unvetted AI tools, which can compromise an organization’s security. When organizations rely too heavily on AI without properly assessing or vetting the tools they use, it creates potential vulnerabilities, leaving them exposed to a range of risks.

Q. How prepared do you think most organizations are to handle these emerging threats, and where do you see the biggest gaps?

Most organizations are still in the early stages of addressing these emerging AI-related threats, and there are several key gaps:

  1. Cybersecurity training: Many organizations have not yet adapted their cybersecurity training programs to include AI-specific threats. It’s crucial to educate employees on these new risks to ensure they recognize and respond effectively.

  2. AI usage policies: Few organizations have established comprehensive AI usage policies. Clear guidelines need to be set on how AI tools are deployed and used to prevent unauthorized or insecure implementations.

  3. Private AI: Using private AI solutions instead of relying on publicly available models can help ensure better security and control over data, but many organizations haven’t adopted this approach.

  4. Vetting AI tools: One of the biggest gaps is the lack of rigorous vetting processes for AI tools before they are made available for use. This leaves organizations exposed to risks from unverified and potentially insecure applications.

  5. Monitoring AI tool usage: Continuous monitoring of AI tools and their usage is often overlooked. Implementing regular audits and tracking usage can help organizations detect potential vulnerabilities before they become major issues. Smaller organizations are at a greater risk here as they lack the resources and the cash
The Evolution of AI Threats

Q. AI security threats have evolved significantly over the past few years. What are some of the newer, lesser-known threats that organizations should be aware of?

As I mentioned earlier, bad actors are particularly active during this early stage of AI adoption, when the focus is primarily on business outcomes. It’s crucial to have at least basic guardrails in place. Organizations must understand that AI-related threats are nota distant concern but an immediate one. The first step is recognizing that traditional threats, like phishing or malware, will be scaled and accelerated through AI. Therefore, it’s essential to build a security strategy that leverages AI itself to counteract these AI-driven threats.

Beyond that, there are AI-specific threats that cannot be effectively addressed with traditional security methods. These threats require new strategies tailored specifically to AI’s unique risks, making it critical to evolve beyond conventional approaches

Q. In your experience, what are the key elements that such a strategy should include to be truly effective?

While it may sound simple, the key elements are the classic pillars of security—People, Process, and Technology. These three words have always been fundamental insecurity, and they remain just as relevant in the context of AI. For a strategy to be truly effective, each of these pillars must be tailored specifically to the unique challenges AI presents. Without addressing these areas comprehensively, we won’t have a proper, AI-ready security strategy.

Future of AI Security

Q. Looking forward, how do you see AI security evolving in the next few years?

AI security will rapidly become a central focus as the scale and complexity of threats increase manifold. As AI continues to evolve, we can expect a wave of new security products specifically designed to tackle AI-related challenges and security solutions that fail to adapt to this changing landscape will likely fall behind.
Expect AI SOC ( AI driven Security Operations Centre) taking the center stage in all security Implementations.

Q. Are there any emerging technologies or trends that you believe will have a significant impact on AI security, either positively or negatively?

 I believe the next stage of AI evolution which is the Autonomous AI and Self improving systems will have a significant impact on AI security and these if not monitored properly can pose unique risks.

AI is inevitable and will soon permeate every aspect of life. Organizations must quickly recognize that even if they are not actively using AI in their business operations, AI still poses a significant threat. It’s crucial to start safeguarding their businesses now, as waiting could leave them vulnerable to rapidly evolving AI-driven risks.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations:

AI is inevitable and will soon permeate every aspect of life. Organizations must quickly recognize that even if they are not actively using AI in their business operations, AI still poses a significant threat. It’s crucial to start safeguarding their businesses now, as waiting could leave them vulnerable to rapidly evolving AI-driven risks.

PS: This blog is written expanding the central ideas of the author using GenAI 

 

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