Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a big help to our modern world, but at the same time, it starts to become a threat. Cybercriminals are starting to take advantage of this technology to get into protected systems. They have found ways to create malware that are similar to the activities of cybersecurity AI.
Now, this starts to bring a problem to our security. It poses a threat to every individual and business.
Cybercriminals are becoming smarter when it comes to adapting to the advancement of technology around us. They have followed along with the trends and learned to create malware to go against this.
Now, how is it possible for these hackers to find a way to use AI to counteract a system secured with the same technology?
Artificial intelligence, as stated earlier, has done a lot of wonders in our society. It has influenced a lot of it, from healthcare to the economy of a certain country. AI is powerful and useful in the modern world. Now how can this technology secure us from cyberattacks, and at the same time, create chaos when in the hands of cybercriminals?
Before we understand how hackers have gotten their hands into using AI, let us find first how AI has shaped cybersecurity.
AI and Cybersecurity
Automatic Detection
We are lucky enough to integrate this technology into securing our online data. AI works by automatically checking systems for bots or codes hackers have injected into a site. AI gets deeper into the detection of the missed codes by humans.
Secure Authentication
When running your website, using a single login process becomes a threat. A single identification process is more prone to attacks compared to sites with multifactor authentication.
AI enters the picture in this process of securing data. It further secures a site or device requiring users to provide information like fingerprints, retinal scans, or identifications that are personal to the user.
Moves Faster
AI, when integrated with Machine Learning (ML), can easily detect errors or malicious malware in a system. It will move faster, and in return, will avoid attacks to damage a system or steal data.
Take for example Google’s way of detecting websites with malicious content. They employ bots to find if a website is safe for people to enter. By the use of AI, they can detect as much as thousands of infected sites in just a week.
Humans can detect as much as the same as what AI does, but not in the same amount of time.
Avoids Mistakes
Humans need the help of AI because when we get exhausted, we tend to make mistakes accidentally. When we have the aid of AI, we can do our jobs while they double-checked our work.
AI, although not perfect, can be a back up to avoid accidental human errors.
The beneficial impact of AI can help a lot of businesses, and even individuals secure their identity. Therefore, it’s important to implement the use of this technology into our systems, particularly to those that require the protection of sensitive data.
It’s great to know that we have such technology to help us secure important information. We think that no one can penetrate any barriers anymore at all and that we are safe from hackers. But things are starting to change.
What we once thought about AI, now becomes a threat to our security.
Here are the ways hackers get into important data using AI as their weapon.
Conceal Codes
Since AI used for cybersecurity crawl into sites and systems to locate or detect any malicious code, hackers trick these bots by using the same technology. They conceal their malicious codes with the use of AI.
As they conceal the codes, they also programmed this AI-malware to deploy at a certain time only. When this malware only works at a certain period, AI cybersecurity might miss detecting it.
AI-powered Attacks are Adaptable
AI is an adaptable technology. They learn as they go through a process. Hacker’s AI-powered malware programs are similar too. They adapt from the previous attack. On the first attempt, the hacker’s AI attacks will not be a success. But since AI collects previous data, it will survive the second attempt even though it tries to block it. Therefore, allowing cybercriminals to get into the system.
Predefine Apps
Hackers can find a way to insert their AI-powered codes into applications. Making it appear as part of the app’s system. They often attack when the app is vulnerable, stealing information fed by users.
Mimics Part of the System
Hackers can create malware that can learn about the systems program. They will release this AI-malware to gather information on how the program works and will attack once it is weak. Sometimes the AI-malware will work together with the systems’ bots but is silently doing its job to steal data from the company.
It is frustrating to know that despite the hard work of developers to create technology to keep individuals safe, there are people who use it to harm others.
Now developers must find ways to keep their invention one step further from hackers. They have to come up with solutions to get rid of this AI malware or to detect it as early as possible.
AUTHOR BIO
JOHN OCAMPOS
John Ocampos is an Opera Singer by profession and a member of the Philippine Tenors. Ever since Digital Marketing has always been his forte. He is the Founder of SEO-Guru and the Managing Director of Tech Hacker. John is also the Strategic SEO and Influencer Marketing Manager of Softvire Australia – the leading software eCommerce company in Australia and Softvire New Zealand.