Cybersecurity month highlights AI & proactive measures

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is shining a spotlight on the importance of cybersecurity in both personal and business environments, with experts sharing their insights on various aspects of the topic.

Zak Menegazzi, Cybersecurity Specialist at Armis, highlights the vulnerabilities created by devices frequently transitioning between personal and corporate settings. Such mobility can expose devices to insecure networks, increasing the risk of cyber attacks, he says.

Menegazzi underscores the importance of businesses improving the visibility of all connected devices on their networks. This entails identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities comprehensively across the attack surface.

He says, "Just like you can't fix a problem you don't know exists, you can't protect assets you can't see. The first step is achieving complete attack surface visibility. This means identifying all connected devices, including known and unknown physical and virtual assets, that are connected to the network."

Menegazzi continues, "While eliminating all risks is impossible, prioritisation and continuous monitoring are crucial. By investing in real-time asset intelligence, vulnerability analysis, AI-powered threat detection and remediation, organisations can proactively mitigate and manage their cyber risk exposure. Furthermore, organisations must keep cyber exposure front of mind. This means using AI-powered platforms to help see, protect and manage all their assets in real time against potential threats. Doing so ensures they can proactively mitigate risks, remediate vulnerabilities, block threats and protect their entire attack surface."

Corey Nachreiner, Chief Security Officer at WatchGuard Technologies, echoes this sentiment, stressing the ongoing nature of cybersecurity efforts.

Nachreiner says, "Cybersecurity Awareness Month reminds us that protecting the digital environment is a shared and ongoing responsibility, involving everyone from technology providers to individual users. Different sectors, from finance to healthcare and transportation, play a key role in the resilience of the digital ecosystem. Strengthening security in all of them is critical to protecting our world in an increasingly complex and interconnected environment."

Nachreiner notes that the convergence of Information Technology (IT), Operational Technology (OT), and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) within critical infrastructures demands advanced security measures. He highlights the effectiveness of network segmentation and zero-trust architectures in managing these complex environments and reducing the potential for breaches.

The role of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) is crucial in this cybersecurity landscape, he says, as MSPs facilitate the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as AI and automation into threat defence systems while managing the cybersecurity needs of various sectors.

Further insights come from Om Moolchandani, Co-Founder and Chief Information Security Officer at Stealth Company. He points out that traditional reactive approaches to cybersecurity are becoming inadequate in the face of sophisticated AI-driven cyberattacks. Moolchandani stresses the importance of unified, AI-enabled security solutions.

Moolchandani says, "The cybersecurity landscape is evolving, with data showing that while the average cost of a breach has increased by 10% to $4.88M in 2023 , organisations that leverage AI-powered security solutions saved $2.2M in breach costs. These savings stem from enhanced threat detection, automated responses, and streamlined security controls - capabilities that modern businesses can no longer afford to ignore."

He continues, "Instead of continuously adding more tools, the focus should be on improving the effectiveness of current security infrastructure, leveraging AI to prioritise vulnerabilities, reduce noise, and prevent breaches before they occur. In today's environment, the path to robust cybersecurity lies in adopting a unified, AI-powered approach that enhances defense while reducing operational burdens."

"This October, let's emphasise the need for proactive exposure management, real-time threat analysis, and the intelligent use of AI-driven solutions to mitigate cyber risks. By doing so, organisations can significantly improve their security posture and protect against the evolving threats we face in the digital age."

As Cybersecurity Awareness Month unfolds, the collective message from these cybersecurity experts emphasises the necessity for proactive and resilient cyber defence strategies. Businesses and individuals alike are urged to adopt these measures to safeguard their environments against the complex array of threats present in today's digital age.