Fast Company
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AI could make cybersecurity a never-ending process
The rise of AI has introduced significant cybersecurity challenges, as advanced AI models can discover software vulnerabilities and bypass defenses. This has unfortunately led to an increase in AI-assisted cyberattacks, raising concerns among experts. However, the same AI technology is also becoming the primary defense against these threats. Companies like CrowdStrike are deploying AI offensively to test their clients' simulated systems and then using defensive AI to identify and fix any discovered weaknesses. This iterative process allows for continuous improvement in security.AI's hacking capabilities are evolving rapidly, moving beyond simple code analysis to probing live systems. This has resulted in a measurable increase in the volume and speed of cyberattacks. These AI agents can work tirelessly, chaining together minor flaws to gain unauthorized access. Consequently, cybersecurity teams are increasingly turning to AI not just to detect vulnerabilities but also to repair them automatically and rapidly.This development is driven by the escalating costs of cybercrime and the arms race between AI-powered offense and defense. Even major AI developers are investing in hardening their own systems. Security firms are now augmenting their products with AI to proactively identify and correct vulnerabilities.While AI offers rapid remediation, organizations often prefer human oversight for significant changes due to potential AI errors and the need to balance security with system availability. The vulnerability of open-source software is another concern, with AI-generated bug reports placing a burden on volunteer developers. Initiatives like Akrites are emerging to manage these reports and help secure critical open-source projects.Despite these efforts, AI's offensive capabilities continue to advance, leading to an ongoing cat-and-mouse game in cybersecurity. Experts believe static security controls are no longer sufficient, and continuous AI-driven security scanning will be essential for all organizations.