Endpoint Security has always been important, yet the recent boom of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the cultural zeitgeist raises questions as to how organizations can protect themselves from attacks. AI technology is improving by leaps and bounds, yet the mission of cybersecurity does not change: protecting data and digital assets from accidents and attacks by maintaining the “confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information” for authorized users.
Artificial Intelligence and Endpoints
Individuals, businesses, and governments across the globe are grappling with how to protect their Endpoints in light of the sudden ubiquity of Artificial Intelligence in the form of services like ChatGPT and Bard. Endpoints such as cell phones, laptops, computers, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices serve as access points to their networks, allowing individuals to log in and access an organization’s data and material. This means they must be protected in order to keep an organization’s network secure. The attack surface expands with each additional Endpoint introduced, which in turn increases the vulnerabilities bad actors can exploit.
Malicious individuals and entities can leverage the speed and pattern recognition of AI to probe networks, strain the security structures of target organizations, and potentially create malware in the near future. While AI is capable of aiding in some aspects of cybersecurity, such as automating certain aspects of threat detection, it can also be used by criminals to utilize complex social engineering tactics or automate hacking tools.
Protecting Your Endpoints from AI Threats
Artificial Intelligence is novel in some ways, but many of the tactics for protecting your endpoints should already be in place within your organization.
- Implement Endpoint Security software.
Ensure you are able to remotely Locate, Lock, and Wipe devices, as well as manage device Encryption. Endpoint software suites like DriveStrike allow you to manage your Endpoints through a convenient and secure online portal from anywhere in the world. - Update and patch your software regularly.
Updates and patches help you prevent potential attacks and respond to incidents. Consistently upgrading your defensive posture to address known threats and found weaknesses makes it harder for attackers, AI or not, to compromise your systems. - Utilize authentication tools to stop unauthorized individuals and entities from gaining access to your Endpoints.
Consider implementing a Zero Trust policy, role-based access, or two person integrity for sensitive information and processes. Implement multi-factor authentication across the board. Often, software and services already offer multi-factor authentication, and it is simply a matter of activating it. - Encrypt your data.
Ensure data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Encrypt the secure backups of your system as well. - Create a culture that values data security.
Even if you are leveraging AI solutions, the people in your organization play an integral role in handling AI data and AI-powered protection techniques. Train your employees and staff to respect data privacy and value security. Your organization should cultivate a security-first mentality when it comes to customer and client data, as well as encourage a company-wide commitment to industry best practices.
AI is introducing new and complex concerns to many industries, including cybersecurity. When it comes to protecting your endpoints, a layered security approach involving software, physical protection, and employee training will increase your endpoint security capabilities in the face of fast-moving developments in Artificial Intelligence.