85% of cyber leaders believe AI will outpace cyber defences

It has been discovered that 85% of cyber leaders believe AI will outpace cyber defences, according to new research from RiverSafe, a leading cybersecurity professional services provider.

The findings were revealed in the AI Unleashed: Navigating Cyber Risks Report, a survey of 250 cybersecurity leaders conducted by independent polling agency, Censuswide, which detailed the rising threat of AI in cybersecurity. The research uncovered their thoughts on the threat of AI and their plans to improve cyber posture to cope against AI-powered threats.

Nearly two-thirds (61%) have seen an increase in cyberattack complexity due to AI, which suggests that the landscape is changing and organisations must refresh their strategies and incorporate new, more resilient defences to effectively protect themselves.

To combat AI-powered threats, it was found that 69% of cyber leaders are investing more in cyber protections to improve their detection and response protocols, however, the 31% who are not investing will be faced with detrimental risk.

Suid Adeyanju, CEO at RiverSafe, said:“Cyber leaders view AI as their biggest security risk and, given its rapid development, it’s vital that defence strategies and security postures are re-evaluated and updated to best protect against this emerging threat.

“AI can bring cybersecurity benefits to businesses through means such as pattern detection, but organisations must be aware of the associated risks, which can be hugely disruptive to business operations. Implementing defence technologies that provide greater visibility over networks and providing staff with training on detecting and responding to threats, is important for businesses to create a robust cybersecurity strategy. A revised and up-to-date cyber strategy should no longer be a second thought, but instead a priority for all organisations to mitigate the risks, especially when considering the new wave of AI-enabled threats.”

Over a fifth of those surveyed admitted that their cyber strategy is outdated and urgently needs to be refreshed to respond to new threats such as AI.

Furthermore, only 39% have a formal incident response for dealing with ransomware attacks, while 16% feel their existing risk controls aren’t sufficient.

Oseloka Obiora, CTO at RiverSafe, commented:“AI has captivated businesses with excitement, but organisations should be wary about jumping in feet first without the necessary security measures. Businesses need to find the balance between gaining a competitive edge in the marketplace with robust cybersecurity measures to avoid leaving themselves vulnerable, as the cost of a successful attack on customer and employee data can be devastating.”