What does AI mean for your company's cybersecurity?

“Before you start using AI, you should understand that AI tools for cybersecurity are still evolving. The quality is getting better, but the tools are still in their infancy right now,” says Bjorn Overbeek. He is a cyber specialist and co-owner of Vallem Security Group, a cybersecurity company for SMEs.

Benefits

There are several ways you can use AI to digitally secure your business.

Automatic phishing detection

One of the best examples of AI in cybersecurity is phishing detection. AI can automatically check and assess every email for phishing. This way, many malicious emails do not end up in your inbox. “AI can do this much faster than a human. Threats are detected and dealt with automatically. This makes you less vulnerable to phishing,” Overbeek explains.

Many email services already have built-in AI spam detection. Overbeek: “For example, Gmail and Outlook use AI to read and analyse emails before they reach you. These are very good. There are also spam detectors that you can buy for extra protection. These are still expensive, so I do not recommend them to small business owners."

Learn from an AI chatbot

You can also think of AI as a kind of IT helper or sparring partner, according to Overbeek. “I often hear from entrepreneurs that they do not know how to start improving their cybersecurity. The subject can be overwhelming if you have not done much with it yet. Use AI to quickly get basic knowledge on any cyber topic. Ask an AI chatbot like ChatGPT or Copilot to simply explain things to you.”

“Ask AI how to make your business more secure. Use the answers as a starting point for your cybersecurity,” advises Overbeek. “Or to go well-prepared into a conversation with an IT administrator.” Beware, though: never share private data with an AI chatbot. It will use the data you enter to further learn and can share that with others.

Disadvantages

Unfortunately, there are also drawbacks to the development of AI. New dangers arise and, of course, cybercriminals also use the new technology.

Useful for cybercriminals

Cybercriminals use AI to carry out their attacks more often and more effectively. Everything AI can do for you, it can also do against you. Overbeek explains: “While you use AI to make emails safer, scammers use AI to create and send hundreds of convincing phishing messages, for example.”

Errors

AI is only as good as the data it is trained with. “If the data is incomplete or outdated, it can lead to errors,” says Overbeek. “For example, a certain email address has sent spam once and then all emails from that address are seen as spam.”

You should always check what AI says and does. You yourself are responsible for your data and operations. “So, use AI primarily as a help tool, not as a replacement for all your cybersecurity measures.”

Data breach

AI trains on the information you give it. “If you give an AI chatbot private information about your company, such as customer data, it stores it,” warns Overbeek. “Anyone can retrieve your information from the AI again. As soon as you enter such data, you have a data breach. So, think carefully about what information you give to AI.”

“Small business owners are increasingly using AI systems for their cybersecurity. With this, the risk of data breaches, where sensitive data is out on the street, is also growing,” Overbeek predicts. The rules for using AI are still evolving. If you are planning to use AI in your business, make sure you comply with EU rules.

Use AI wisely

AI is a tool for your company's cybersecurity. “Think of AI as a tool to be used wisely. AI makes cybersecurity a lot more accessible, but it is not a watertight solution for all your online security,” says Overbeek. “My advice? The world of AI is changing at lightning speed. Stay on top of what developments there are and what is useful for you. And have you never talked to AI before? Start small and ask an AI chatbot like ChatGPT or Copilot a question. But use your common sense when it comes to the answers an AI chatbot gives you.”