Category Archives: Cybersecurity

Why Businesses Should Be Concerned about AI and Cyber Attacks

Ai and cyber attacks
Cybersecurity, Security, Technology, , , ,

Hacking methodologies have improved over the years. The moment a new IT program or algorithm becomes known, cybercriminals are right on it, immediately looking for ways to use these developments to their advantage. This is especially true in the realm of AI and cyber attacks.

While artificial intelligence has long been part of daily computing, recent advancements like generative AI chatbots have become a playground for hackers. Despite having robust cybersecurity strategies, many business owners may underestimate the potential threats posed by AI and cyber attacks.

A Rise in Security Risks for Businesses Because of AI

Thanks to AI tools, what used to be impossible is now very easy. Writing content, generating code, and analyzing data—an untrained employee with just a few clicks can do even so. For sure, businesses can save a lot of time, energy, and staff by using these tools. But since these same tools are also accessible to hackers, businesses will face harsh security risks because of AI and cyber attacks.

Using AI Tools to Launch Attacks on Companies

Hackers have found so many ways to use AI tools to launch cyber attacks. We have already discussed this in our previous two blogs, so we will no longer go into detail. However, some of the most notable applications cybercriminals have found for AI are for writing phishing emails that look very real, tracking keyboard inputs, analyzing online data, cracking passwords, and launching automated and simultaneous attacks.

AI has basically eliminated the need for superior programming skills to be a successful hacker. Hackers can do most of the tasks within seconds, with the right strategy and using the right AI algorithms.

So now that hackers are actively using AI as a tool to penetrate even the most foolproof systems, it is not the time for companies to sit back and relax. Instead, businesses should upgrade their cybersecurity systems, ensuring that they update them enough to protect against AI-powered security risks.

Attacking Vulnerable Businesses with AI Systems

The widespread use of AI systems by businesses, which is understandable, is another factor contributing to the increase in cyber attacks. With the benefits these systems offer, it would be unwise not to take advantage of them. But like anything in its early stages, AI systems are still new and have a few vulnerabilities. Because of this, they have become an easy and prevalent target for hackers.

Hackers have identified at least four methods for attacking a company’s AI system. Adversarial attacks are the most common, where an algorithm misleads a machine learning model by submitting an intentionally wrong input. Other methods are data poisoning and prompt injection, which can corrupt the system’s learning process.

Hackers favor backdoor attacks because they can infiltrate a target AI system for a very long time without the system’s security even noticing them. Backdoors are a bit more difficult to implement, but the rewards for hackers are tremendous.

How Businesses Can Mitigate AI and Cyber Attack Risks

Now, although AI comes with endless benefits, it also brings with it monumental security risks. It is also not a passing trend that will fade soon enough and that you can ignore. This is just the beginning. AI tools for hacking will become more destructive in the coming years. And for this reason, businesses must be concerned about these AI tools and cyber attacks.

The good news is that there are many things businesses can do to protect against security risks. If you are already using generative AI tools in your business, you must identify and contain its vulnerabilities and take steps to strengthen these areas of the system. Regular employee training is also a must, particularly about prudence in entering data into AI-powered chatbots.

It is also crucial to do data encryption when training a generative AI system for your business. Keeping data anonymous is also helpful in maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information. Of course, your choice of AI tools is also very important. There are now so many choices available, and the tendency is to go for the cheapest one. But it is always better to spend more on a reliable tool rather than risk the security of your business for a few dollars saved.

If you want to learn more about using AI systems and protecting your business from AI and cyber attacks, we can help. Just call us and we will schedule a consultation where we can discuss your business security needs and address them accordingly. Don’t forget to Download our E-book which talks about the cybersecurity role of AI in security.

How Do Hackers Use AI?

How Hackers Use AI
Cybersecurity, Data Backup, Phishing, Security, , , ,

Artificial intelligence has been a key ingredient in propelling businesses forward—creating better customer engagement, cutting response times, providing client-specific solutions, and more. But hackers have also had access to the same innovative technology: AI. While businesses use it to improve their operations, hackers have also been busy using AI technology to advance their illicit activities.

In 2022, there were 1,802 separate data breach incidents, compromising 425 million records. In 2023, there were 2,116 security incidents by October, surpassing the previous year’s numbers with still two months left. Using AI plays a huge role in the drastic rise of data breaches and other cybersecurity attacks. In this article, we will look at how hackers use AI to target and attack businesses.

Creating Convincing Phishing Emails

Hackers have found that generative AI tools are a fast and efficient way to churn out realistic phishing emails that can easily convince unwitting victims to reveal sensitive information. Using AI, it is now easy to create targeted emails that look so real that most people won’t suspect they are fake. Hence, even the more cautious employees now have a higher chance of becoming victims, ultimately exposing the business to cyber criminals.

Even the language barrier doesn’t help because of AI. Before, poor grammar and punctuation were immediate red flags for a phishing email. But now, AI technology has become fluent in so many languages that the text, regardless of the language, is almost flawless. Unless one is extremely vigilant, they will not find the threat. What’s even more alarming is that these phishing emails contain not only credible text, but many of them also include images, videos, and other media, which further adds to the genuine look of the email.

Generating Realistic Images and Other Media

Many of us have had fun and amusement with AI-generated images and videos—you know, those apps that create all sorts of versions of your picture. Some can even animate a photo and add sound to make it look like it is talking or singing. It’s all very entertaining, but hackers have quickly seen a different angle to this. Many of them have used these kinds of AI-generated media for illicit purposes.

For instance, you might receive a video call from one of your contacts on Messenger. You think you see them when you answer the call, but what you see is an AI-generated video clip of them trying to converse with you. This makes them more believable to the victim, who does not realize that hackers created it through AI.

How Hackers Use AI with Automating Attacks 

AI software makes it easy for hackers to identify loopholes in a company’s security with hardly any effort. It can detect easily penetrable networks or flawed security systems. By unleashing this software all at once, multiple businesses are targeted, and the hackers will have a higher chance of a successful attack.

How Hackers Use AI By Designing Undetectable Malware

AI-generated malware can easily pass through the strictest security systems without tripping the alarms. Unlike previous malware forms, they equip those designed and created with artificial intelligence with extra features that shield them from the most watchful cybersecurity tools.

To avoid detection, these AI-equipped malware change their code or their behavior so that they do not arouse suspicion. Once this software gets through, it’s business as usual for the hackers to access the network as they please.

Getting Past Biometric Systems

Biometrics are highly secure, especially when compared to passwords. Because these security systems muse fingerprints and voice prompts, we assume only authorized employees can access their accounts. But then AI came along. With the ability to make remarkable copies of fingerprints and voiceprints, advanced AI technology enables hackers to deceive biometric systems.

Launching Elaborate Phishing Campaigns

Creating phishing emails is just one step in a phishing campaign, but all the other steps are now much easier with artificial intelligence. It begins with analyzing data from online sources, which is now done with AI algorithms. With access to such information, hackers will know the weaknesses of specific targets, enabling them to tailor the phishing attack accordingly. This makes the attack more likely to succeed. It seems like more work, but because it is all done with AI, it’s much easier for the hackers.

As you can see, there are countless ways that hackers use AI to hack into businesses. Awareness and understanding of these tactics are crucial for companies to protect themselves against these new forms of hacking.

With the help of an MSP that specializes in cybersecurity, you can keep your network safe and all your information intact. If you need to level up your cybersecurity system and stay one step ahead of the hackers, call us today. We will give you a free consultation, and then we can start fortifying your company’s security system. Download our E-book today which talks about the cybersecurity role of AI in security.

Role of Cybersecurity Training in Compliance and Risk Reduction

Cybersecurity compliance
Cybersecurity, Security, , , ,

The primary reason for training employees on cybersecurity is to protect the organization from online attacks. But there are many other reasons you should embark on security awareness training. It is also important for customer reassurance, employee wellbeing, and, our topic for this post, cybersecurity compliance and risk reduction.

Why is Cybersecurity Training Important in Compliance and Risk Reduction?

There are both direct and indirect correlations between cybersecurity training and regulatory compliance. For example, many regulatory agencies explicitly require businesses to conduct regular security policy training or data protection training for all employees. Failure to comply with this requirement would cause fines and other sanctions.

It saves you from penalties and other sanctions. 

Depending on your industry, and your business location, there are some cybersecurity regulations that you would have to comply with. Some cybersecurity compliance regulations are HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, NYDFS, GDPR, NIST, CMMC, and many more. Failure to comply with these requirements would put your system at serious risk. But also, you might have to face steep penalties and hefty sanctions, including legal action.

It helps avoid a range of other errors. 

Inadequately trained employees are more vulnerable to phishing and social engineering attacks. They might even unknowingly violate policies and handle data poorly, which could lead to a range of compliance errors. Proper training can help avoid all this.

It encourages alertness and vigilance. 

Unique cybersecurity training strategies like simulated attacks will boost retention and make employees more alert for looking out for cyber threats. It also ensures compliance with the Cybersecurity Framework developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and, though not a legal requirement, is one of the best risk management practices.

It emphasizes the need for encryption and data security.

Data confidentiality and risk mitigation are crucial aspects of data privacy training for meeting compliance demands, especially with encryption, data sharing, and access controls.

It makes for improved compliance audits.

Cybersecurity training ensures not only that your organization passes compliance audits but also that it does so with flying colors. When all employees receive security regulation training, there is a higher chance of getting an exemplary audit report.

It lets regulators gauge your level of cybersecurity compliance.

A good training program comes with participation monitoring and various metrics for evaluating its effectiveness. All this is useful for regulators to check your organization’s compliance with cybersecurity requirements.

It creates a robust security culture within your organization. 

The existence of a regular training program shows your staff that you are serious about cybersecurity and encourages everyone to take the best individual steps toward maintaining a high level of protection. It minimizes the risk of insider threat.

It keeps everyone updated on the latest security practices and compliance standards.

Online threats continue to evolve every day, so compliance standards need to adjust as well. Regular training ensures that your entire organization is trained on all the latest advances, always keeping you compliant.

It encourages top management to prioritize cybersecurity compliance mandates.

With a solid understanding of the importance of compliance and liability, top executives will be more attentive to enforcing mandates on cybersecurity and data protection.

Final Thoughts on Cybersecurity Compliance

Often, cybersecurity compliance may seem like just another routine requirement in the workplace, but it has a significant impact on many aspects of the business, as you have just seen.

Has your data been hacked? Download our Infographic, “The Top 10 steps to take if you think you have been hacked.” If you’d like, call us and we can talk about how we can customize data security for your unique needs!

If you want to know more, just let us know and we will be happy to give you a free consultation!

Top Mistakes to Avoid When Training Staff on Cybersecurity

Training Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity, Data Backup, Security, , ,

As technology continues to advance, so do the techniques used by hackers. We must keep up with their evolving strategies to keep our systems protected. To do this, regular cybersecurity training of employees is a must. Studies show that an effective training method can reduce vulnerability to phishing and similar attacks from 60% to 10% within a year.

7 Common Mistakes in Cybersecurity Training

You can do many things to get the most out of each training session. But today, we will focus on what you should NOT do because they are counterproductive to the training. Here are the top mistakes you should avoid.

Boring Training Sessions

If the training comprises text-heavy slide shows with someone just reading out loud, then you can’t blame your employees for nodding off in the first few minutes. Not only will they lose interest, but they will also gain absolutely nothing from the training. Instead, use a more engaging approach. Replace text with visuals. Encourage interactive discussions. Have some group work.

Same Program for Everyone

In any organization, members have varying skill levels. With cybersecurity, some employees might be more aware of the latest trends. Others might not even know what phishing is. So a one-size-fits-all cybersecurity training program is bound to fail. You need to address everyone’s level and train them accordingly.

One-Time Workshop

Many still believe that compressing all the key learning areas into one big training session will work, but it will not. You can squeeze as much value as possible into a single session, but there should be a follow-up. Better yet, there should be a series of follow-ups. Ongoing reinforcement is one of the best methods for making any lesson stick.

Focusing on In-Office Cybersecurity Training

Yes, it is important to practice online safety while in the office. But most companies today have employees in a hybrid work setup or working full-time from home. With this being the new norm, the training program must also address mobile security.

Insufficient Leadership Support in Cybersecurity Training

We always say that children emulate the behavior of their parents. The same goes for employees and their superiors. Whatever the staff is learning, the top executives must be as well.

Leaving out Incident Response Training

Prevention is indeed better than cure. However, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about handling cyberattacks when they happen. Employees need to know what actions to take in the event of a data breach to prevent the damage from escalating further.

Lack of Proper Assessment

Cybersecurity training does not end when the facilitator gives their last remarks. You must test the participants on what they have learned with these efficient assessment methods. It could be standard question-and-answer tests or random phishing simulations to check if and how the employees will apply what they have learned.

Final Thoughts on Cybersecurity Training

Before you take your staff on their next cybersecurity training, keep these mistakes in mind and avoid them at all costs. Plan the training program so it can deliver maximum impact. Better yet, you can use a tried-and-tested program created by established and trusted cybersecurity experts to train your staff. That is something that we can help you with.

It pleases us to present the latest tool in employee cybersecurity training—our very own microtraining platform. This method tackles all the important aspects of online security, from threat identification to incident response and everything in between. If you are interested in learning more, we have a demo of the platform that you can download by clicking right here.