The role of AI in cybersecurity goes beyond simply identifying and stopping threats.
In today’s interconnected world, artificial intelligence (AI) technology has become deeply ingrained in our lives, significantly influencing various industries. Its impact has been both revolutionary and stimulating, particularly in terms of cybersecurity. THE escalation of cyber threats and sophisticated attacks have created a pressing need for more advanced defense mechanisms. AI, in this context, appears to be a crucial player in enabling more proactive and effective defense strategies.
The role of AI in cybersecurity defense
The impact of AI on cybersecurity goes beyond simple threat detection. He employs four main capabilities to combat cybercrime in real time. First, AI excels at monitoring behavioral patterns, quickly identifying anomalies such as unusual login activity or suspicious data movements. When a potential threat is detected, AI can take action to block harmful activity, log out suspicious users, and alert system operators, acting as the first line of defense.
Additionally, AI is constantly learning. It uses past experiences and data to recognize suspicious behavior and predict outcomes, thwarting the efforts of cybercriminals. This adaptability is essential in the ever-changing cyber threat landscape.
A report from Forbes highlights this trend, stating that 76% of businesses have already adopted AI and machine learning (ML) solutions. to get ahead of malicious hackers. This adoption is set to increase as businesses continually look for new ways to strengthen their cyber defenses.
Which cybersecurity companies are using AI?
Given the growing demand for robust cybersecurity solutions, several leading AI cybersecurity companies are leading the way in protecting organizations against cyber risks. Let’s take a look at some of these innovators who are reshaping the way we defend against cyber risks.
Darktrace: Building a cyber-immune system
Created in 2013 by Dave Palmer, Emily Orton, Jack Stockdale, Nicole Eagan and Poppy Gustafsson, a team of mathematicians from the University of Cambridge, Darktrace pioneered a AI-based cyber immune system. The company went public in April 2021 and has a current market capitalization of US$2.57 billion.
The platform combines two key technologies: the self-learning Enterprise Immune System and the Antigena Autonomous Response. Together they can spot advanced attacks that traditional security measures often overlook.
The enterprise immune system learns typical digital behavior of an organization, allowing AI to distinguish normal from malicious activity. Upon detection of a threat, Autonomous Response AI responds with precision, isolating affected machines or network segments and blocking suspicious activity, all without disrupting daily business operations.
Cylance: proactive threat prevention
Cylance was founded in 2012 by cybersecurity researchers Ryan Permeh and Stuart McClure and later acquired by BlackBerry in 2019 for US$1.4 billion. It is known for its AI-based threat detection and prevention solutions. Its AI platform examines large data sets to detect patterns that signal cyber threatsconstantly updating its knowledge to ward off known and unknown attacks.
CylancePROTECT, the company’s flagship product, provides an effective and proactive security posture that goes beyond traditional antivirus software. In particular, this considerably reduces the frequency of alerts, resource usage and costs related to system downtime, achieved by eliminating the need for regular updates and manual interventions.
Vectra AI: intelligent AI network monitoring
Vectra AI, founded in 2011 by information security experts James Harlacher and Mark Abene and based in San Jose, California, specializes in use AI to monitor networks for intrusions, whether on-premises or in the cloud. He was rated at 1.2 billion US dollars during its final funding round in 2021.
The company’s flagship Cognito platform functions as an advanced threat detection system. It meticulously analyzes network traffic, extracting crucial details to identify suspicious behavior, including communications with unknown servers. This AI-based analysis ensures comprehensive network monitoring.
Cognito Recall and Cognito Detect are an integral part of the Cognito platform. Cognito Recall transforms complex network data into easy-to-understand visual representations, helping administrators quickly identify security threats. Cognito Detect complements this by automatically identifying various cyber threats, including encrypted attacks, ensuring robust defense mechanisms are in place.
Palo Alto Networks: Accelerating Threat Response
Palo Alto Networks, based in Silicon Valley, was founded in 2005 by Dave Stevens, Fengmin Gong, Nir Zuk, Rajiv Batra and Yuming Mao. It offers a suite of products that cover various security needs, including firewalls, cloud security, threat detection, and endpoint protection. The company was listed on the NYSE on July 20, 2012 and its current market capitalization is 92.99 billion US dollars.
Its autonomous AI-based security platform, XSIAM, is one of the company’s most notable products. The platform is designed to Significantly reduce response times to threats in less than a minute by leveraging extensive data and AI processes. In November 2023, the company launched XSIAM 2.0an enhanced version of the platform with additional capabilities, visibility, and support for custom ML models.
Fortinet: AI-based security solutions
Fortinet, based in California, was founded in 2000 by Ken Xie and Michael Xie. The company provides security services to large enterprises, service providers and government organizations around the world. Having become public in November 2009, the company has a current market capitalization of US$44.95 billion.
The company has a portfolio of more than 40 AI-based products. One of their most popular offerings is FortiWeb, a firewall that uses ML algorithms and AI-based features to accurately detect threats. It effectively blocks threats while minimizing false alarms, ensuring a seamless user experience.
AI in cybersecurity: a necessity, not a luxury
Integrating AI into cybersecurity has gone from a luxury to a necessity. As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, investing in AI-based security measures is essential for effective risk management.
According to Verified Market Research, the AI cybersecurity market has witnessed a remarkable rise, reaching a value of 17 billion US dollars in 2022. It is expected to reach $102 billion by 2032. As this market continues to grow, it becomes imperative for organizations to stay abreast of technological advancements and strengthen their defenses against evolving cyber risks. In doing so, they can proactively protect their sensitive data and systems, staying one step ahead in the ongoing battle against cyber threats.
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