Tag: mitigate

Unlocking AI’s value securely: Navigating Key Security Imperatives

Across EMEA, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining industries, inspiring innovation, improving operations, and driving, growth. Government and Irish businesses are embracing and capitalising on AI’s potential to enhance customer experiences and gain a competitive advantage. But as adoption accelerates, new security challenges arise, demanding vigilant attention to protect these investments Ivor Buckley, Field CTO at Dell Technologies Ireland explains more

Forecasts indicate that AI could contribute trillions to the global economy by 2030, with Ireland well-positioned to capture a significant share of this value. According to Dell Technologies’ Innovation Catalyst Study, 76% say AI and Generative AI (GenAI) is a key part of their organisation’s business strategy while 66% of organisations are already in early-to mid-stages of their AI and GenAI journey.

As AI becomes more embedded in everything from customer management to critical infrastructure, safeguarding these investments and tackling the evolving cyber threat landscape must be a priority. To that end the success of integrating AI in the region depends on addressing three critical security imperatives: managing risks associated with AI usage, proactively defend against AI-enhanced attacks, and employing AI to enhance their overall security posture.

Managing the Risks of AI Usage

Ireland as a digital hub within the EU, must navigate the complex regulatory environment like the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), NIS2 Directive, the Cyber Resilience Act and the recently launched EU AI Act. These frameworks introduce stringent cybersecurity requirements that businesses leveraging AI must meet to ensure resilience and compliance.

AI’s reliance on vast amounts of data presents unique challenges. AI models are built, trained, and fine-tuned with data sets, making protection paramount.

To meet these challenges, Irish organisations must embed cybersecurity principles such as least privilege access, robust authentication controls, and real-time monitoring into every stage of the AI lifecycle. However, technology and implementing these measures effectively isn’t enough. The Innovation Catalyst Study highlighted that a lack of skills and expertise ranks as one of the top three challenges faced by organisations looking to modernize their defenses. Bridging this skills gap is vital to delivering secure and scalable AI solutions because only with the right talent, governance, and security-first mindset can Ireland unlock the full potential of AI innovation in a resilient and responsible way.

A further step that Irish businesses can take to address AI risks, is to integrate risk considerations across ethical, safety, and cultural domains. A multidisciplinary approach can help ensure that AI is deployed responsibly. Establishing comprehensive AI governance frameworks is essential. These frameworks should include perspectives from experts across the organisation to balance security, compliance, and innovation within a single, cohesive risk management strategy.

Countering AI-Powered Threats

While AI has enormous potential, bad actors are leveraging AI to enhance the speed, scale, and sophistication of attacks. Social engineering schemes, advanced fraud tactics, and AI-generated phishing emails are becoming more difficult to detect, with some leading to significant financial losses. Deepfakes, for instance, are finding their way into targeted scams aimed at compromising organisations. A 2024 ENISA report highlighted that AI-enhanced phishing attacks have surged by 35% in the past year, underscoring the need for stronger cybersecurity measures.

To stay ahead organisations must prepare for an era where cyberattacks operate at machines’ speed. Transitioning to a defensive approach anchored in automation is key to responding swiftly and effectively, minimizing the impact of advanced attacks. The future of AI agents in the cybersecurity domain may not be far off.

This means deploying AI-powered security tools that can detect anomalies in real time, automate incident response and adapt evolving threats. Equally important is that business across Ireland need to start fostering a culture of cyber awareness across the workforce, which is supported by AI-driven training tailored to individual risk profiles to counteract evolving threats.

Leveraging AI to Strengthen Security

AI’s capabilities offer organisations powerful tools to fortify their defenses. With its ability to detect vulnerabilities, predict risk, and accelerate response times, AI is emerging as a critical asset in the fight against cyber threats. It can help Irish organisations move from reactive to proactive security postures. The Innovation Catalyst Study found 75% of business and IT leaders say AI/GenAI is a key part of their organisation’s business strategy, with many already seeing tangible results in their cybersecurity strategies.

Here’s how organisations in Ireland can leverage AI to enhance security:

  • Secure Software Development: AI can improve coding processes by detecting weaknesses early, helping teams reduce vulnerabilities in the development phase.
  • Advanced Threat Prediction: AI’s algorithms can identify patterns and anticipate potential attack paths, aiding teams in proactive risk allocation.
  • Enhanced Threat Detection: By processing vast datasets in real time, AI can discern genuine threats from noise with unprecedented accuracy.
  • Automated Incident Responses: AI tools can significantly accelerate containment and mitigation following an intrusion, reducing response timelines.
  • User Awareness Programs: AI-powered systems can deliver tailored security training to employees, fostering vigilance and reducing human errors that often lead to breaches.
  • For many businesses, the adoption of these advanced AI-driven tools will rely on partnerships with technology providers. It’s critical to ensure internal processes and data are structured and simplified to fully support the power of AI-enabled cybersecurity solutions. An automation-first approach ensures that businesses can adapt to a future where autonomous threats are the norm.

 Building a Resilient Future

Ireland’s digital future depends on our ability to innovate with confidence and as we know AI has now moved beyond emerging technology status and now plays a central role in digital transformation. That means embedding security into every AI initiative, aligning with evolving regulations and investing in skills, talent and right technology/technology partners is needed to stay ahead of threats.

Companies that approach AI security with robust protections and innovative strategies will not only mitigate risks but position themselves as industry leaders. By addressing the three imperatives of managing risks, countering threats, and leveraging AI for security, businesses here in Ireland can unlock AI’s full potential.

Secured properly, the innovation AI enables will drive sustainable growth for businesses across EMEA, setting them up to thrive in an increasingly digital and data-centric world. The future belongs to those who innovate securely, balancing progress with responsibility.

Britons over 55 would rather the discomfort of the flu, over a data hack – yet neglect any action to mitigate data theft risks

New research released today shows that more than half (53%) of individuals over 55 would prefer to endure the flu than grapple with the potential consequences of data theft. However, many confess to taking no steps to mitigate these risks.

Considering the severity of the flu, particularly among pensioners, this stark contrast in priorities highlights their awareness of the dangers of the dark web. Nonetheless, 80% of those aged over 55 rarely or never check for data breaches, primarily because many (58%) don’t know how to do so.

The research to mark Cybersecurity Awareness Month was conducted with 2,000 adults in the UK by F-Secure, a global leader in cyber security, and emphasises the need for greater education on this critical issue.

In the past 12 months, more than a million[1] people over 55 have had their data leaked which comes after research from Age UK revealed one-in-four (25%) people aged over 65 are unable to keep their login information and passwords secure – exposing them to potential data fraud. However, it is surprising considering those over 55 are more informed about the dark web, a marketplace for buying stolen data, than any other age group.

A third (33%) of respondents in this age bracket accurately described the dark web as a part of the internet that can only be accessed using specialised browsers, contrasting with around a quarter (27%) of Generation Z – some of which admitted they thought the term ‘dark web’ simply referred to browsing the internet at night, not a part of the internet which permits illicit and criminal behaviour and sits as a destination for cybercriminals to buy stolen personal data.

Tom Gaffney, Principal Consultant at F-Secure: “Data leaks are not exclusive to particular age groups, they can happen to anyone, but what our research has highlighted is a distinct lack of action taken by the over 55s, who are more aware than any other demographic about the dark web. The fact that older people would opt for the flu over a data hack shows just how problematic and serious data theft can be.”

More broadly across all ages, the report found a misperception that the dark web is monitored and policed for data leaks. A quarter of Britons (27%) would call the police if hacked – however, data being compromised isn’t always a police matter.

With increased digital transformation and high-profile data breaches happening with global brands the availability of personal data on the dark web is set to become even greater. F-Secure experts warn that consumer apathy about the dark web and data leaks could lead to financial and online identity difficulties for many if we don’t start checking our data security on a more regular basis.

Tom Gaffney, Principal Consultant at F-Secure, continues: “Data leaks can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and other forms of cybercrime. This emphasises the need for individuals to be proactive in safeguarding their data and understanding the steps they can take to mitigate risks. We must work together to change that.”

To help Brits mitigate the risks, Tom offers three tips:

  • Regularly check to see if your data has been compromised using free online tools such as F-Secure’s ID Theft Checker. It takes less than five minutes to check if you’ve been compromised and it doesn’t cost a penny to do so.
  • After receiving your report, change the passwords for the sites that may have been compromised. Use a good password manager to create strong individual passwords for each site. Never use the same password for multiple sites.
  • Contact the companies where your data has been compromised, especially if it’s your credit or debit card.

To check if your data has been compromised visit F-Secure’s free ID Theft Checker tool https://www.f-secure.com/gb-en/identity-theft-checker