As Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshapes the cybersecurity landscape, organisations worldwide face escalating challenges when protecting against sophisticated AI-powered attacks. Despite understanding the severity of the threat, businesses are struggling to keep pace with the rapid evolution of cybercrime. Barriers such as skill shortages, lack of AI-powered tools, and the complexity of managing advanced cybersecurity infrastructures leave many organisations vulnerable.
n its latest study titled “Cyber defense & AI: Are you ready to protect your organisation?”, Kaspersky gathered insights from IT and Information Security professionals across SMEs and large enterprises. The research reveals a growing sense of urgency among businesses to prepare for AI-driven cyber threats, with 19% of respondents globally and 11% in South Africa stating they have considerable gaps in their cyber protection. The study also explores barriers to achieving effective cybersecurity and the dire consequences of failing to adapt.
Despite understanding the risks, businesses face significant obstacles in building robust cybersecurity. According to the study, 44% of organisations globally and 60% in South Africa cite the lack of AI-related cybersecurity training for employees as a critical issue. Another 44% globally and 58% in South Africa point to the complexity of managing cybersecurity infrastructure, which makes it harder to stay ahead of attackers. The shortage of advanced tools is another key challenge. Nearly 43% of respondents globally and 49% in South Africa admitted that their organisations lack modern AI-powered cybersecurity solutions, while 41% globally and 42% in South Africa struggle with lack of information from external experts about the evolving AI-related threat landscape. Additionally, 39% globally and 29% in South Africa experience the scarcity of qualified InfoSec professionals, leaving the businesses vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated threats.
The consequences of failing to adapt are severe and wide-ranging. More than half of surveyed professionals (58% globally and 69% in South Africa) fear unpreparedness could result in confidential data leaks, while 52% globally anticipate a loss of customer trust (47% in South Africa) and significant financial losses (67% in South Africa), including stock value drops and loss of business opportunities. Reputational damage is a concern for 47% of respondents globally (42% in South Africa), who worry about the long-term fallout from a cyberattack. Other potential consequences include financial penalties (33% globally and 53% in South Africa), investor withdrawal (31% globally and 51% in South Africa), lawsuits (29% globally and 49% in South Africa), and even partial business closures (23% globally and 13% in South Africa).
“The rise of AI-driven cyberattacks marks a turning point in the cybersecurity landscape. Organisations must act now to fortify their defenses. This includes investing in AI-powered tools, training employees to recognise threats related to AI, development and implementation of cybersecurity controls for products and services with AI. Failure to adapt could lead to significant financial, operational, and reputational damage. Preparedness is not just an option – it’s a necessity in this new era of cyber threats,” said Alexey Vovk, Information Security Director at Kaspersky.
To protect the business against AI-enabled cyberthreats, Kaspersky recommends:
- Ensure that every level and element of your IT network is protected with solid, multi-layered protective solutions. Kaspersky solutions starting with Kaspersky Next product line, all have advanced AI technologies under the hood designed to automatically block emerging threats.
- By leveraging the best cybersecurity expertise, you can detect and contain complex, focused attacks which increase in sophistication as AI tools help attackers to launch more precise targeted attacks. If you lack this expertise in-house, Kaspersky Managed Detection & Response together with online and live Kaspersky Cybersecurity Training are strong options that bolster your in-house skills.
- Turn your office workforce into an extra layer of defense with the Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform, which instils cybersafe behaviour. It includes specialised sections dedicated to AI-assisted threats and safe use of AI tools, helping to avoid the risks associated with the growing proliferation of AI tools.
- Initiate a discussion about AI-related topics in cybersecurity, now available on the Kaspersky Support Forum’s AI Technology Research section. You can also explore Kaspersky’s extensive resources available on the Kaspersky Daily AI section, Kaspersky’s BrightTalk channel, and YouTube videos, where many of your AI-related questions may already be answered.
To see the full report “Cyber defense & AI: Are you ready to protect your organisation?”, please follow the link.