CISO-approved strategies for innovation: Elevating your security (with AI) – Source: www.cybertalk.org

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

In order to keep pace with the ever-evolving threat landscape, CISOs must continuously innovate, applying the latest technologies to effectively address cyber security challenges. In so doing, CISOs can mitigate risk and enhance their organization’s cyber security posture.

Crafting an effective innovation strategy

While building an innovation strategy can be tough, in the absence of a defined innovation strategy, improvement efforts can quickly become a mixed bag of tools and best practices.

There isn’t a one-size-fits all cyber security innovation strategy, but knowing how to craft one is half of the battle, especially when it comes to implementing complex tools like artificial intelligence.

Why AI is essential for innovation

AI offers extensive benefits, including the automation of repetitive tasks, improved threat detection and response, enhanced situational awareness and enablement of stronger decision-making capabilities. However, deriving value from cyber security tools, including AI-based technologies, starts with a targeted approach and the defining of priorities.

Before implementing AI, CISOs should consider strategic questions, such as:

• What are the specific cyber security challenges or pain points that we aim to address through the use of AI?
• What are the goals and objectives that we wish to achieve via AI implementation within cyber security?
• How does the use of AI in cyber security align with our overall cyber security strategy and business objectives?
• How will we integrate AI into existing cyber security infrastructure and processes?
• What skills and expertise does our cyber security team require in order to effectively work with AI-based technologies?
• How will we measure the success and effectiveness of AI in improving our cyber security posture?

Addressing concerns in an AI strategy

When developing an AI-focused cyber security innovation strategy, it’s crucial to address the following concerns:

1. Lack of transparency and interoperability: AI systems are commonly built with data. That training data enables the models to build their own models. The resulting lack of transparency renders it difficult to determine how AI systems make decisions. Thus, security staff can’t easily learn from or correct the model.

2. Bias and fairness concerns. An AI system’s internal model is only as good as the data that was used to train it. If that data is biased, then the AI system will also exhibit bias.

3. Integration with existing security systems. AI systems can enhance security operations, but they’re most effective when integrated as part of an organization’s existing security architecture. If AI-powered solutions do not play well with an organization’s other tools, then they can only produce limited value.

AI use-cases for businesses

If you’re moving forward with the implementation of AI-based tools that can scale the return on your security investment, don’t forget about these ways in which AI may be applicable to your endeavors:





Endpoint security. Thirty-five percent of enterprises using AI to strengthen their cyber security tech stacks say that endpoint discovery and asset management is a leading driver of reliance on AI.

Network security. AI systems can analyze network traffic for packets or trends that might indicate any of a number of different types of attacks.

Cloud security. AI solutions can help to address common challenges in cloud security, such as ensuring that cloud permissions, access controls and security settings are properly configured.

Fraud detection. AI systems can analyze user behavior for anomalies or malicious actions that could indicate possible fraud.

Selecting AI-based tools

When selecting AI-based tools, focus on solutions that not only detect but that actively prevent advanced cyber security threats. By proactively preventing threats, organizations can reduce the impact of attacks, including data loss and financial repercussions.

Conclusion

For further insights into security innovation, strategy and AI, please see CyberTalk.org’s past coverage or explore our whitepaper.

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