Study: AI becomes central tool in cyber defense

Artificial intelligence is developing into the most important tool in the cyberdefense of German companies. According to the current IT security survey by eco, the Association of the Internet Industry, 88 percent of IT security experts surveyed rate the threat situation as high or very high. Around 40 percent of companies are already actively using AI-supported systems—for example, for automated anomaly detection, analysis of log data, or for incident response processes.

Ransomware remains the most common form of attack, closely followed by CEO Fraud, which has significantly increased compared to the previous year. So-called double extortion attacks, in which criminals not only encrypt data but also steal it and use it for blackmail, are particularly critical. One in six companies was affected by at least one serious security incident last year.

Professional IT Security

The study authors view it positively that no surveyed company reported paying ransom. This indicates a growing professionalism in dealing with incidents, according to eco. In addition, 60 percent of companies now have defined emergency plans and conduct regular employee training. Almost half plan to increase their security budgets in the coming year.

“AI is a crucial lever for more cybersecurity,” explained Professor Norbert Pohlmann, an eco board member for IT security. However, over 90 percent of respondents expect attackers to increasingly use AI as well—for deceptively real phishing emails, deepfakes, or automated vulnerability scans. The association warns against excessive AI regulation that could prevent companies from defending themselves against attacks with the same technologies.

All results of the survey can be found at eco can be found at eco. An overview of the current state of IT security is also provided by a current iX article—from malware to SOC architectures to AI.

(fo)