About a month ago, Trinidad and Tobago’s cybersecurity resilience was strengthened when the Overwatch Cyber Fusion Centre was launched at the Brix Autograph Collection in St. Ann’s.
At the launch, Prime Minister Keith Rowley described cybersecurity as a collective responsibility.
Emmanuel Oscar, senior systems engineering manager for the Caribbean at Fortinet, agrees.
He told the Business Guardian that the creation of Overwatch was a vital step in changing attitudes towards cybersecurity in the region.
“Fortinet is a leader in cybersecurity. We were founded over 20 years ago. We are the driving force behind the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networks and security, securing people, devices and data everywhere, and that is our mission as a global cybersecurity company,” said Oscar.
Over the 20 years, Oscar admitted that it has taken some time for the Caribbean to mature in cybersecurity, but he has seen some recent positive developments.
“I was fortunate to meet the Honourable Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, at the launch of Overwatch, Precision’s Caribbean Cyber Security Operations Centre, with which we are also partners and which is also part of the coordinated engagement,” he said.
Oscar was recently in Trinidad to present at Fortinet’s “Developing a Cyber Resilience Strategy Using AI-Driven Platforms” event.
He explained at these events and in an interview that AI has played a relevant role in cybersecurity.
“We have seen that the Latin America and Caribbean market is constantly growing. The number of threats is increasing year after year and Fortinet has been a pioneer in AI innovation in cybersecurity for more than a decade, during which time AI has been the backbone of security and threat intelligence services for Fortinet,” said Oscar.
“By leveraging technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, businesses can stay ahead of attackers and proactively monitor and analyze cyber threats, helping to identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. This then allows for rapid implementation and remediation of measures taken against potential threat intrusions, helping to address the rise of cyber threats in the Latin America and Caribbean market,” said Oscar.
There are already precedents for AI helping to prevent major damage in terms of cyberattacks.
Last month, Mastercard confirmed that it is using generative AI to double the speed at which it can detect potentially compromised cards, further protecting cardholders and securing the ecosystem.
Mastercard explained that the technology works by scanning card transaction data at a faster speed than before, allowing Mastercard to alert banks more quickly and accurately when a card may have been compromised.
Mastercard said: “The card can then be blocked and reissued. Transaction attempts on the compromised card can be continuously monitored to mitigate fraud and enhance cybersecurity, further strengthening trust.”
Oscar, however, warned that the need to adopt AI as an aid was crucial, as potential fraudsters were already trying to use the technology to help them commit crimes.
“AI is the buzzword and it is a technology that we need to embrace and embrace. AI is reshaping the way network security is managed and IT professionals are supporting it because of the speed at which we are able to identify, detect and respond to different incidents. AI technologies are increasingly becoming an integral part of cybersecurity and as we in the Caribbean go through a digital transformation, we need to embrace AI to help foster an environment where AI will allow us to do more with less and faster because the bad guys themselves are also leveraging AI to do their misdeeds,” said Oscar.
Latin America and the Caribbean have seen millions of cyberattacks in recent years, with businesses in Trinidad and Tobago falling victim to major cyberattacks in the last two years, with Massy, TSTT and Pricesmart being among the notable victims.
Oscar said this only reinforced the need for companies like Fortinet to work to educate the public on various measures to protect themselves against these threats, especially in Trinidad and Tobago, where the government has launched a digitalization program.
“As the cyber threat landscape intensifies, we estimate that it takes an average of less than five days for publicly disclosed vulnerabilities to be exploited by cyber threats, which is why we are collaborating. This is a collaboration with leading and highly respected organizations in the public sector, private sector and academia, and is a critical part of Fortinet’s commitment to improving cyber resilience in Trinidad and Tobago,” said Oscar. “Now, this allows Trinidad and Tobago to benefit from innovations such as AI and the latest threat intelligence to stay ahead of an ever-changing threat landscape.”
Oscar explained that Fortinet currently has 10 experts assisting T&T in its efforts.
“We focus on businesses, but government also has a role to play. What we do in Trinidad and Tobago is that as you move forward in your digital transformation, that is every citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, we collaborate with task forces, partnerships with businesses and governments to collect, improve, protect and help combat cyber attacks and understand the impact of cyber threats. So that collaboration includes education, working with governments and helping the layperson understand the role and impact of cybersecurity.”
At the Amcham T&T annual meeting earlier this month, G4S Secure Solutions Trinidad Country Manager James Devers also acknowledged the need for greater impetus on cybersecurity.
He further stated, “Collaboration to ensure cybersecurity is essential because data is valuable. It is said that data is more valuable than money. It is therefore essential to have a robust cybersecurity system in any organization or business. We have seen cases in Trinidad and Tobago where cyberattacks have brought down major organizations in the country. IT professionals in any organization must therefore focus on ensuring that their cybersecurity infrastructure is there and can mitigate the risks. This cannot be avoided because unfortunately, hackers are always trying to find ways to penetrate the systems.”
Devers called for a culture change in cybersecurity, but Oscar is confident Trinidad and Tobago is making that change.
“If you look at the OAS reports, many Caribbean countries are at an early stage of maturity in cybersecurity, but when you look at the initiatives that are being put in place in Trinidad and Tobago, they are very promising. The movement is going in the right direction to help citizens understand the impact of cybersecurity and, more importantly, the government understands the importance of cybersecurity because at the end of the day, it is about how we work, how we live, how we play and how we go to school,” said Oscar.
As for those who still fear that AI is a double-edged sword, Oscar urged them to think about the good that can be done, and not just in cybersecurity.
“Like any other technology or any new technology, there will be doubts about its use, but rest assured that what we can do is educate our citizens globally. AI has a lot of potential and benefits in terms of medicine, education, etc. In cybersecurity, bad guys are also using it. They are also exploiting AI for their mischief. But overall, the benefits of AI in education and healthcare are huge. It is a huge market,” he said.
Source: guardian.co.tt
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