Microsoft Identifies AI As Tool In Checking Cyber Attacks

The evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in checking the threats of cyber attacks have been emphasized at a virtual presentation on Cyber security at the 2024 Microsoft Africa AI Journalist Academy. The topic was discussed from different perspectives by experts in a session that has journalists from different media houses.

Commercial Solutions Area Director and CTO at Microsoft South Africa, Colin Baumgart, identified AI as a pivotal ally in the fight against cybercrime, explaining that AI’s ability to analyse vast amounts of data at lightning speeds enables the identification of patterns and anomalies that “may indicate a security breach, often before it occurs”.

According to Baumgart, organisations must remain vigilant, “adapting our defences to counteract the evolving threats in the cybersecurity landscape”.

He added that “The cybersecurity landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the relentless evolution of technology and the increasing sophistication of cyber threats.
“In this dynamic environment, AI has emerged as a pivotal ally in the fight against cybercrime.

“This proactive stance is crucial in a time when reactive measures are no longer sufficient.        But, in an era where digital threats are escalating in complexity and scale, we cannot just think about defending against cyber threats, we need to be advancing the way we design, build, test and operate our technology to meet the highest standards of security.

   

“It is why, we have created The Secure Future Initiative (SFI), a multi-year undertaking to safeguard our digital ecosystem.
It is an approach that is anchored in three fundamental principles: secure by design, secure by default, and secure operations, ensuring that security is not an afterthought but a foundational element of everything we create”.

In a related development, Microsoft 2024 Digital Defense Report has highlighted an alarming rise in attacks, with incidents targeting customers globally, doubling to 600 million per day, “revealing the growing collaboration between nation-state actors and cybercriminals.

“Over 78 trillion security signals per day from the cloud, endpoints, software tools and our partner ecosystem inform our insights, and help us to understand and protect against digital threats and criminal cyberactivity”.

According to Microsoft, Data breaches have also been rampant, with TechCrunch reporting over 1 billion stolen records in 2024 alone.

“These breaches have not only compromised personal information but have also emboldened criminals who profit from cyberattacks.

“As the threats evolve, so must the strategies to combat them, requiring a concerted effort from individuals, organisations, and governments alike”.

Also. according to Interpol’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2024, the rapid growth of cybercrime is further illustrated by the estimation that in 2023 there was a 23% year-on-year increase in the average number of weekly cyberattacks per organisation in Africa – this average was the highest in the world.
“Despite this, 52% of employees still say their job has nothing to do with cybersecurity, according to The Phishing Benchmark Global Report.

Microsoft has also stated that there is a widespread recognition of the need to build a security culture to increase the understanding of security’s value to the business, as well as drive security awareness.

“People, process and technology need to be in harmony – because businesses can have the most sophisticated technology and comprehensive processes in place to monitor, detect and respond to breaches, but if a person gives their password away or clicks on a phishing email, it becomes exponentially more difficult to protect the organisation.

“Ultimately, it boils down to the fact that the individual user level is a person – and unless they have been trained to be security aware, they are capable of human error and are likely to remain the weakest link in the security chain.

“Many organisations are investing in strengthening their employees’ cybersecurity knowledge and offer theoretical and practical training by carrying out spoof attacks, such as sending out phishing emails, evaluating who clicks on the links and then providing more in-depth training to plug identified gaps.

“Employees are the first and last line of defence and it is why educating everyone on staying cybersafe is so important. It’s time to act now”.