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Criminals continue to use technology in increasingly creative ways, but security teams are evolving as well. Here are six ways artificial intelligence is implemented for security.
SwissCognitive Guest Blogger: Zachary Amos
AI’s computational and analytical skills make it the ultimate surveillance and prediction tool, allowing law enforcement to stay ahead of the bad guys. Security is even one of the top sectors driving innovation in AI.
These examples of how AI is being implemented in security are a must-know for anyone interested in artificial intelligence.
1. Protecting Smart Homes
Smart home technology is becoming increasingly popular. These devices are designed to make houses safer and more connected. However, as computers control more residences, the incentive rises for hackers to try to find a way in. One all too common example is the remote hacking of smart door locks so a house can be seamlessly broken into.
Luckily, AI can help keep smart homes safe and secure. Expert reports have suggested it can use the data stored by these devices to determine abnormal activity, such as attempts to activate malware. AI security software for smart homes can run around the clock, allowing it to protect devices even when no one is home.
2. Threat Screening for Events
Long security lines are typical at large events, whether in an airport, concert, convention or the big game. AI is speeding up the checkpoint process while also making it more comprehensive.
It is not unusual for criminals to attempt to hide in large crowds, where they can do a lot of damage at a low risk of being recognized. However, they won’t get away with such tactics anymore, thanks to AI. Security experts use it for facial and image recognition to rapidly identify potential offenders sneaking into events. AI cameras scan each visitor’s face and check the picture against persons of interest lists as they pass through security. Artificial intelligence could also verify visitor badges and pinpoint suspicious people.
3. Protecting Remote Employees
Organizations worldwide recorded a shocking spike in cybercrime when millions of people switched to remote work in 2020. Cyberattacks are an especially dangerous form of crime because they are challenging to predict, instantaneous in execution and can wreak havoc in seconds.
Data collected by INTERPOL shows a breakdown of cybercrime rises, with phishing attacks at the top of the pile. This is no coincidence. Phishing is extremely easy to use on remote workers, who generally lack high-quality cybersecurity and are quick to unsuspectingly open emails.
Artificial intelligence is the key to protecting home-based employees from malicious content online. Implementing effective remote cybersecurity tactics is an important place to start. However, phishing emails and malware links can be highly deceptive, even to the trained eye. AI can help fill in those gaps and act as a versatile line of defense between malicious content and valuable data. It uses pattern recognition, natural language processing and machine learning to pinpoint malware and cyberattacks and block them before accessing critical systems.
4. Predicting Terrorist Threats
Protecting the public from terror attacks is a top priority for the world’s security leaders, requiring the very best law enforcement tools available. That’s why anti-terrorist security experts are using artificial intelligence. Combining game theory tactics and real-world security resources allows security experts to develop AI that can strategically deter terrorist activity. The AI takes advantage of pattern recognition and intentionally creates unpredictable security patterns, so terrorists can’t slip by checkpoints during regular breaks.
5. Friendly Hacking
One of the best ways to stop cybercrime is to fortify a network against as many kinds of attacks as possible. AI does this by simulating hacking attempts. It strategically attempts to find weaknesses in cybersecurity systems, although it doesn’t actually harm any data. The idea behind this friendly hacking, also called white hat hacking, is to find bugs and security vulnerabilities before criminals can exploit them. Security officers can close the gaps in their defenses using data collected from the AI’s hacking simulation.
6. Fair Law Enforcement
Using AI in security footage analysis was initially seen as a no-brainer in local law enforcement. The AI could scan for faces in the crowd and identify those who matched the profiles of wanted criminals or persons of interest. However, this has shifted in recent years after the discovery of racial bias in training data. While it may not be profiling people anymore, policing AI can still be highly effective for ensuring communities stay safe.
A key example of this is a research project by AI experts at Stanford University. The researchers used natural language processing to analyze how police officers spoke to people they stopped on the street. This AI program was incorporated into police body cameras in test groups. Security technology like this can help enforce the fair treatment of everyone law enforcement interacts with, ensuring that all community members are treated equally.
Safe and Secure With AI
Artificial intelligence is one of the most valuable security tools the world has right now. While there are certainly still wrinkles to work out in the technology, the potential of AI in security is undeniable. It’s already making a big difference, from the home office to the concert hall and everywhere in between. With the help of AI, homes, businesses and governments protect data and people alike from whatever comes their way.
About the Author:
Zachary Amos is the Features Editor at ReHack where he writes about artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other tech topics.
Source: SwissCognitive
