Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a godsend in the financial industry, allowing organisations to automate processes that would not have been possible before. However, bad actors are also utilising the tech, with 92 per cent of IT and information security professionals in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) believing abuse of AI will increase in the region in the next two years according to Kaspersky, the cybersecurity company.
Cyber defence is quickly becoming a priority according to the Kaspersky study, Cyber defense & AI: Are you ready to protect your organisation?, as the firm reveals financial leaders are turning to cybersecurity vendors for specialised support and training. In fact, 93 per cent of respondents in the region said external expertise from cybersecurity experts was needed to prepare for the inevitable attacks using AI.
Interestingly, 94 per cent of respondents said improving expertise internally by training in-house employees was more important than looking for outside assistance. However, organisations taking the threats most seriously are ensuring both methods of preparations are taking place.
Currently, 36 per cent of companies surveyed in the META region are either implementing or planning to deploy external support to adapt to the evolving threat landscape. Meanwhile, 34 per cent are doing the same through internal training initiatives. Additionally, 61 per cent already use external cybersecurity expertise, and 62 per cent have training programs in place, underscoring a dual approach in fortifying their protection.
Outside expertise
Cybersecurity vendors’ expertise can come in various forms. They can be specialised professional services that help organisations deploy their protection solutions, or advanced expert centers that focus on specific security challenges. One of these centres is the Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center. It brings together the company’s AI research and development efforts, to deepen the protective capabilities of cybersecurity solutions.
Vladislav Tushkanov, group manager at the Kaspersky AI technology research center says: “Our latest survey shows that businesses are acutely aware of the rising threat from AI-driven cyberattacks and are looking to reinforce their protection through comprehensive solutions, including the use of vendors’ extensive cybersecurity expertise.
“The Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center plays a pivotal role by helping us leverage AI advancements to enhance our threat protection strategies and explore innovative ways of using AI in cybersecurity. It also enables us to address security concerns specific to AI itself, ensuring that businesses are prepared for the latest AI-driven threats.”
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