Back to basics: Better security in the AI era

The IBM piece argues that the rise of AI, LLMs and IoT has created a sharper security challenge, with attackers able to leverage generative AI to craft malicious code and phish more convincingly, while IoT devices can become footholds for lateral movement. According to the Google Cloud Cybersecurity Forecast 2024 report, organisations should expect a surge in AI-powered attacks as these technologies become more widely available.

To counter this, the article advocates a back-to-basics approach: identify essential data assets, track indicators of attack, and implement zero-trust models to protect login credentials and data. It also highlights the value of focusing on common IoAs and ensuring end-to-end visibility, noting that threats still converge on enterprise data, applications, networks and databases.

While new tools, including generative AI, can help defenders analyse attack patterns, they are not a cure-all unless paired with solid security hygiene. The piece endorses practical tools such as the IBM Security QRadar Suite and IBM Security Guardian to bolster threat intelligence and outlier detection.