As cyberattacks against web applications increase, defenders find themselves on the front lines of an ever-changing battlefield. As adversaries leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to refine their attacks, defenders face unprecedented challenges. However, AI doesn’t just empower attackers: it also appears to be a crucial ally for defenders. Organizations can use AI capabilities and implement robust security training to identify and neutralize threats.
Rest assured, the increase in attacks on web applications reflects a persistent change rather than a passing trend. A recent Global Threat Analysis Report found that in 2023, the total number of malicious web application and API transactions increased by 171%, mainly due to Layer 7 encrypted web application attacks. The main targets of attackers are misconfigurations .
Barracuda’s application security system found that 30% of all attacks against web applications targeted security configuration errors, such as coding and implementation errors, while 21% of attacks involved injection of SQL code in December 2023. Other high-level attack tactics included cross-site scripting (XSS) and cross-site request forgery (CSRF), which allow attackers to steal data or trick the victim into she performs an action that she does not intend to do. Now, novice bug bounty hunters typically use cross-site scripting to break into networks.
Image courtesy of BarracudaBarracuda found that two main factors contribute to the increase in attacks on web applications. The first is that a significant number of web applications harbor vulnerabilities or misconfigurations, making them susceptible to exploitation. Second, these apps often store highly sensitive information, including personal and financial data, making them prime targets for attackers seeking direct access to valuable data.
Armed with sophisticated AI-powered tools, attackers are refining their methods to circumvent traditional defense measures. Injection attacks, cross-site scripting, and a range of other tactics keep defenders on their toes, requiring rapid, proactive responses. In this dynamic environment, AI is not only improving response capabilities, but also reshaping the very narrative of cybersecurity.
AI plays two multi-faceted roles: it serves as both a weapon for attackers and a defensive weapon for defenders. Attackers use AI to launch more targeted and effective attacks, while defenders race against time to strengthen their defenses.
More recently, attackers have used AI to automate generative content, such as in phishing attacks, to create convincing phishing emails that look like legitimate messages. Now, attackers can produce personalized and contextually relevant messages that improve their chances of success. AI makes it easier to spoof authentic email addresses, analyze publicly available data for personalized attacks, and replicate the communication patterns of familiar contacts to trick recipients. Additionally, AI-generated content often lacks the grammatical errors typically associated with fraudulent content, making it harder for traditional security measures to detect and prevent such attacks.
WormGPT and EvilGPT are two AI-based tools that allow attackers to successfully carry out zero-day attacks. They use them to generate malicious attachments and dynamic malware payloads. Their goal is to create adaptive malware that can change its behavior to evade detection.
Additionally, AI-powered botnets pose a threat due to their potential for devastating distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. By integrating artificial intelligence into attack tools, adversaries can significantly amplify their impact while reducing the need for significant human involvement and accelerating breach rates. Attackers also use AI to access personal identifying information, use deeply fake content such as spoofing or extortion videos, and ultimately exploit content location to expand their attack base .
However, AI not only empowers opponents, it also gives defenders a weapon in their arsenal. AI is a powerful weapon for attackers and defenders must match its high level of sophistication to strengthen their defenses and thwart these threats. Barracuda’s research found that more and more organizations are doing just that.
About half (46%) of organizations surveyed say they are already using AI in cybersecurity, and 43% plan to implement AI in the future. They use AI to analyze large data sets to identify real threats and correlate signals across various attack surfaces, while deploying natural language-based query generators to extract relevant data and offer targeted and personalized security awareness training.
AI-based machine learning algorithms use threat detection and intelligence to sift through data sets and detect irregularities that indicate security vulnerabilities like unusual network traffic or unusual user behavior. Behavioral analytics monitors and identifies suspicious activity to identify insider threats and abnormal access patterns.
Additionally, while attackers target their victims with generative phishing attacks, cyber experts can use AI to stay one step ahead. Now, organizations can use AI to identify phishing patterns and signatures, looking for irregular sending behaviors, discrepancies, or unusual email content using natural language processing. AI also excels at responding to security threats in real time. Applications such as automated incident identification, orchestration, and playbook automation improve identification and detection to improve threat detection.
It is important to note that implementing AI-based security solutions does not minimize the role humans play in strengthening their organizations’ security measures. Technology serves people and not the other way around. Joint study found human error was a contributing factor to 88% of security breaches. That’s why it’s important for organizations to leverage AI to implement intelligent security training at all levels, allowing organizations and users to better understand and feel confident in the technology to identify threats effectively and efficiently.
This shift from reactive to proactive defense marks a crucial shift in the cybersecurity paradigm – and it is important to implement robust security solutions to guard against the ever-improving AI techniques employed by attackers. While AI is a powerful tool for both defenders and attackers, it can ultimately be integrated into defense strategies, helping organizations significantly increase their resilience and adaptability in the face of relentless cyber adversaries.
Cybersecurity companies find themselves on the front lines of an ever-changing battlefield. Adversaries use AI to refine their attacks, creating new challenges for defenders. Yet AI is also emerging as a crucial ally, enabling defenders to use machine learning and predictive analytics to preemptively identify and neutralize threats, reshaping the cybersecurity narrative. Defenders must find ways to use AI equally, if not more, to effectively detect threats, respond to incidents in real-time, and comprehensive security training. By leveraging AI capabilities, organizations will build resilience and improve adaptability, forging a formidable defense against relentless cyber adversaries.
