How to address AI in your cyber security program

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the way we design our cyber security programs, creating both new opportunities and challenges for security managers. As AI-driven threats become more sophisticated, training and processes must change to effectively mitigate the risk. But, it’s not all bad. AI can be of benefit for security professionals when it comes to efficiency, admin tasks, and simulations. 

The key is understanding where AI fits into security strategies and how to integrate it properly into employee training, without overdoing it. In this blog, we’ll explore how AI in cyber security is reshaping security awareness training and how security managers can adapt their programs to ensure employees are prepared for the more advanced attacks coming our way. 

The effects of AI on cyber attacks 

The first step to addressing AI in your security training is to understand how its advancement is changing the tactics and techniques cybercriminals use against your organization. AI significantly enhances the capabilities of cybercriminals, enabling them to automate attacks, improve social engineering tactics, and evade traditional security measures. While grammar and spelling mistakes used to be an easy way to spot phishing emails, AI causes that to no longer be the case. 

AI-supported attacks are more deceptive, requiring a shift in how we teach our team to spot attackers. Instead of simply recognizing poorly written phishing emails, employees now need to spot sophisticated AI-generated content that mimics real conversations. Going even further, deep fake technology enables attackers to generate highly convincing videos and voice messages, which can be leveraged in advanced social engineering attacks such as CEO fraud and business email compromise (BEC) scams.

As AI capabilities advance, security training and security programs need to advance too, in order to ensure we are keeping up with the complexity of the attacks. 

AI tools in cyber security training 

AI can be leveraged in multiple ways to improve security awareness training and security programs. Here are some of the most effective AI-driven tools:

• Internal Chatbots: AI-driven chatbots can provide real-time security guidance to employees, saving you time from answering commonly asked questions. 
• External Chatbots: AI tools like ChatGPT can assist in generating training scenarios, helping you develop realistic phishing simulations and awareness materials more efficiently.
• Machine Learning Algorithms: Use algorithms to analyze user behaviour and identify and design targeted security training based on the actions taken during training exercises. 
• Phishing Simulation Tools: Use AI to simplify the process of creating customized phishing simulation scenarios, rather than manually customizing programs yourself. 

The benefits and challenges of AI in cyber security training programs 

AI introduces new challenges and benefits to security awareness programs that must be considered. 

Challenges

• • False Sense of Security: Employees may place undue reliance on AI-based security tools, assuming they provide complete protection. It’s essential that training emphasizes the complementary role of AI, reinforcing that human vigilance remains key to identifying and responding to complex threats. 

• Losing the Human Connection: It’s easy to let AI do all of the work for you, especially when it comes to admin tasks like answering emails and questions. However, this can cause the connection between you and your team members to be lost, reducing the trust they have with the security team. 

• High Implementation Costs: Yes, all the benefits of AI is at the tip of your fingers – but for a hefty price. Carefully evaluate the costs and benefits before integrating AI tools into your cyber security program to ensure they align with your organization’s risk management strategy. 

• Questionable Privacy: Many AI tools are still emerging, and their long-term privacy implications remain uncertain. Before adopting any AI tool, organizations should thoroughly review its data handling policies, security measures, and compliance with regulatory standards.

Benefits 

• More Valuable Time: If you free your time from simple, repetitive tasks using AI, suddenly you’ll have much more time to focus on more valuable tasks. AI can open up the opportunity for you to focus on what really matters like strategy and connection. 

• Increased Customization: AI can assess individual employee risk levels and create customized training based on their identified weaknesses. Not only does this save you time from sifting through data, but it also increases the awareness of low-performing employees. 

• Real-Time Feedback: AI simulations can provide you with the opportunity to give employees real-time feedback. With access to a tool ready to respond to endless scenarios, employees can see the impact of any step they take and understand how to fix it. 

• Reduced Human-Error: Ever fall behind on scheduled training? AI can assist in automating repetitive security training tasks, such as phishing simulations and employee assessments, reducing the risk of oversight or inconsistency in training programs.

How to integrate AI into your cyber security program

Using the tools

The first step to implementing AI as a tool for your security program is to assess the current standing of your training. What is your biggest bottleneck? What takes up the majority of your time? What is missing that you think your employees need?

After reflecting on these concerns, you can identify the proper tools that will benefit your program. Not every aspect of security training needs AI, as excessive implementation can be costly. Instead, start with one or two AI-driven tools that have the potential to significantly enhance efficiency and training effectiveness.

Most importantly, don’t forget to track the progress of these AI tools. Are they having the results you imagined? Are they worth the investment? How are your team members responding to these changes? 

Talking about AI

As AI is becoming one of the most impactful technologies in cybersecurity, it’s crucial to not just use it in your training, but to address it. Employees must understand the complexity of attacks created using this advancing technology. 

Start the conversation by understanding what your employees already know about AI. You might be surprised at the knowledge level of different employees. Based on this information, use real-life cases to show how AI is increasing the difficulty of spotting cyber attacks. This is the most important step. Once they are aware, they can have an easier time spotting attacks using AI. 

Next, let your team practice fighting against AI-supported attacks in a safe environment using a simulation. These scenarios will no longer use a spelling mistake to spot the fake, but instead require verification of a source or considering the tone of a message. 

Never stop talking about AI with your employees. Regularly update employees on AI-related threats and advancements through workshops, discussions, and real-world case studies to keep AI security risks top of mind. Remember, it’s up to you to lead these discussions. 

AI is reshaping cyber security, not just through advanced threat detection but also in how cybercriminals target employees. Organizations must ensure their cyber security programs evolve to address AI-driven risks and train employees accordingly. 

By integrating AI-based simulations and including AI topics in training, your program can evolve alongside AI.