Over the previous 18 months, AI has modified how we do many issues in our work {and professional} lives — from serving to us write emails to affecting how we strategy cybersecurity. A latest Voice of SecOps 2024 research discovered that AI was an enormous cause for a lot of shifts in cybersecurity over the previous 12 months. Apparently, AI was each the reason for new points in addition to rapidly changing into a standard resolution for these exact same challenges.
The research was carried out with Deep Intuition and Sapio Analysis by surveying 500 senior cybersecurity professionals working for U.S. firms with a minimum of 1,000 workers. The respondents labored in a variety of industries, together with monetary providers, expertise, manufacturing, retail, healthcare and important infrastructure, in addition to within the public sector.
Shifting methods to prevention as a result of AI
One of many largest findings of the survey was that 75% of respondents needed to change their cybersecurity methods up to now 12 months because of the rise in AI-powered cyber threats. The overwhelming majority of execs (97%) reported they have been involved that their group may change into victimized by AI-generated zero-day assaults.
The bulk (73%) of execs mentioned that the shift concerned shifting towards a extra proactive than reactive strategy. Apparently, greater than half of the respondents (53%) mentioned that the shift in strategy got here from their senior leaders. On the time of the survey, 42% have been already taking a preventive strategy by way of utilizing predictive prevention platforms. One other 38% have been trying into utilizing these platforms.
As a part of the general shift in strategy, many organizations are additionally offering security consciousness and coaching packages (47%) and endpoint detection and response methods (41%). Different methods embrace common security audits (39%), collaborating with exterior specialists (38%), and utilizing different AI-based instruments (20%).
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AI rising stress and burnout for cybersecurity professionals
The survey additionally discovered that AI is rising stress and burnout for cybersecurity professionals, which is already a high concern and a problem for the trade. When requested whether or not their stress ranges have been worse this 12 months than final, 66% mentioned sure.
Excessive stress ranges in cybersecurity professionals could cause decrease retention charges, which might negatively impression an organization’s cybersecurity as a result of open positions and an absence of continuity.
Moreover, excessive stress could make recruiting more durable as a result of professionals depart the sector or don’t wish to work at a high-stress group. When somebody leaves an incident response group, it sometimes takes six months on common earlier than the substitute is a totally contributing group member, which additionally will increase stress on present group members.
Nonetheless, when requested in regards to the cause for elevated stress and burnout, 66% responded that AI is accountable. Different causes included staffing/useful resource limitations, compliance/regulatory pressures, public scrutiny/repute issues and distant work challenges. Moreover, 29% mentioned they have been harassed over the worry that AI may take over their jobs.
Organizations are turning to AI to assist scale back the stress ranges brought on by AI. A couple of third of organizations are planning AI instruments to automate time-consuming and repetitive duties to release cybersecurity professionals for high-level duties in an effort to cut back stress. Moreover, 35% mentioned that shifting to a prevention-focused strategy would assist decrease their stress ranges.
Nonetheless, lowering burnout requires further assist. Organizations will help their groups study to be extra adaptable, resembling by practising for doable incidents, which might scale back stress by way of being ready. Additionally, by constructing smaller groups, companies can create a tradition of counting on one another. Firms ought to prioritize psychological well being by offering sources and normalizing using these sources, particularly after a cyberattack.
AI continues to evolve
As AI expertise continues to enhance and progress, the cybersecurity trade will proceed to see impacts, and there might be shifts in how cyber criminals and cybersecurity professionals use their instruments. By staying on high of latest ways and instruments, cybersecurity professionals can take the simplest preventive strategy whereas working to cut back stress.
