Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning , Events , Next-Generation Technologies & Secure Development

The Dual Role of AI in Cybersecurity

Bob Ackerman Discusses How AI Shapes Offensive, Defensive Cybersecurity Strategies
Bob Ackerman, managing director, AllegisCyber

Advancements in artificial intelligence have "redefined the table stakes in cybersecurity," said Bob Ackerman, managing director at AllegisCyber. AI is helping enhance defensive mechanisms, making it easier for analysts to differentiate between relevant data and background noise, thereby boosting productivity. At the same time, it has enabled the rapidity and the sophistication of cyberattacks.

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Ackerman highlighted the challenges of phishing attacks that have become more personalized and difficult to detect, as well as breaches in which AI-powered strategies enable attackers to navigate and compress dwell times drastically.

"If you look at the nature of cybersecurity, there's an offense and a defense. Almost all of the innovation in cybersecurity originates on the offensive side -highly capable from a technical perspective, sometimes better motivated and unconstrained to their behavior," he said. "They are going to be leading us in defining the new threat vectors that we're going to be dealing with from a defensive perspective."

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group at RSA Conference 2024, Ackerman also discussed:

  • How AI enables more personalized and hard-to-detect cyberattacks;
  • How integrating data can help with assessing cyberthreats more accurately;
  • Why regulatory bodies and insurers are demanding more detailed cyber data.

Ackerman has 20 years of experience in successful cybersecurity investing and serves on the board of directors of numerous cybersecurity companies. He was the president and CEO of UniSoft Systems and the founder and chairman of InfoGear Technology Corp.


About the Author

Michael Novinson

Michael Novinson

Managing Editor, Business, ISMG

Novinson is responsible for covering the vendor and technology landscape. Prior to joining ISMG, he spent four and a half years covering all the major cybersecurity vendors at CRN, with a focus on their programs and offerings for IT service providers. He was recognized for his breaking news coverage of the August 2019 coordinated ransomware attack against local governments in Texas as well as for his continued reporting around the SolarWinds hack in late 2020 and early 2021.




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