How AI technology is changing enterprise cybersecurity

For many information security officers, AI presents a significant and fast-growing threat. AI allows black-hat operatives to launch an infinite number of highly sophisticated and coordinated cyberattacks utilizing self-replicating algorithms and machine-designed deepfakes. This can make the task of defending targeted enterprises very challenging.

A 2023 survey of IT executives showed more than half of respondents (56%) see AI/machine learning as the top security risk over the next two years. Since then, examples of AI attacks have only become more prevalent.

There are ways for IT leaders to flip the equation and take the offensive. High-speed fiber circuits can support an enterprise’s defensive AI posture by providing low latency data to enable optimal information security performance. AI tools are uniquely suited to help enterprise IT groups mitigate and ultimately prevent otherwise catastrophic breaches. Can IT leaders seize the moment?

The pros and cons of AI in cybersecurity

The use of AI by both sides in cybersecurity has been likened to an “arms race,” one where cybercriminals enjoy the initiative.

Sophisticated AI-generated phishing attacks probe and identify network vulnerabilities by mimicking established human behavior. User-generated passwords are being cracked more efficiently by AI tools. Chatbots harvest innocent-seeming information from susceptible targets to glean weaponizable insights.

But the uses of AI to the benefit of enterprise security are also becoming clearer. In a recent Q&A with Spectrum Enterprise, leading technology consultant Chuck Brooks calls AI “a powerful tool for enabling cybersecurity.”

AI can readily recognize and call out distinctive patterns in hacker strategies, such as phishing or distributed denial of service attacks. AI cybersecurity tools provide real-time analysis of suspicious network activity, and speed reaction times considerably. They can also help manage and reduce an enterprise’s risk profile online.

How AI already helps keep enterprises safer

In June 2024, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which monitors information infrastructure nationwide, held its inaugural tabletop exercise involving a simulated AI cyberattack. Over 50 AI experts in both the public and private sectors practiced incident responses and reviewed damage mitigation techniques utilizing AI models both offensively and defensively.

AI simulations of cybersecurity incidents are becoming more common, helping train and inform people across an enterprise about the evolving nature of cyberattacks. Simulating worst-case scenario environments helps IT security know what to look for and better understand how to respond. This also helps reinforce and refine existing security protocols.

Threat emulation tools are already being deployed at many IT security departments. In a very short time, employees can be trained to recognize and properly respond to would-be phishing attacks using AI simulations.

AI can similarly help standardize more routine security responses, freeing up enterprise IT personnel to manage more demanding, far-reaching tasks. According to AI Business, “This can free up staff to work on more strategic and high-level operations that require human input, enhancing security overall.”

Optimizing AI cybersecurity tools with fiber connectivity

The business of cybersecurity AI is clear. According to Morgan Stanley, the global market for AI-based cybersecurity products, estimated at $15 billion in 2021, will surge to $135 billion by 2030. The market is already moving forward; the question is becoming who will be left behind.

The right set of AI tools, incorporated harmoniously, offer cybersecurity teams the opportunity to be proactive, not reactive, in mitigating threats across an often-shadowy landscape. But the most innovative AI tool can be hobbled when the data it uses comes from a slow, underpowered or otherwise unreliable circuit.

For any enterprise, any AI-focused operational overhaul must begin with a commitment to fiber connectivity that is reliable, able to grow with the enterprise, and can be counted on to deliver a low-latency signal. AI requires massive amounts of data to operate effectively; connectivity that is not designed to meet this need will compromise the effectiveness of any AI solution.

Investing in the right technology

Fiber connectivity is emerging as a transformative force in the uptake of AI across industries and use types. Whether enabling near-instant data transmission or facilitating more fluid communication with essential cloud services, fiber circuits are essential to realizing the full potential of AI.

Dedicated Fiber Internet (DFI) offers speeds of up to 100Gbps, low latency and a service level agreement-backed 100% uptime guarantee. Holistic data management across a network is critical to any enterprise that wants to incorporate AI more centrally into their security and overall network operations. So is having a technology partner with the expertise and reach to better enable wider AI use.

In choosing the right connectivity to efficiently integrate AI into enterprise security operations, IT and cybersecurity leaders need to ensure they give their enterprise the means to deliver data effectively and instantly. 

How Spectrum Enterprise can help

Spectrum Enterprise is focused on helping public and private enterprises strengthen their security and connectivity profiles, to facilitate the broadest use of high-speed data for AI and other mission-critical needs. Learn more about what can be done to provide for your enterprise in the face of mounting challenges.