Adopting generative artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technologies is becoming the norm in various industries. However, with the advantages they bring to businesses comes the threat of cybersecurity risks.
In this resource, we analyze Wipro’s State of Cybersecurity Report for 2023.¹. We aim to unveil the intricate ways cybersecurity is impacted by cloud technologies and generative AI, which will help you secure vulnerabilities that demand your attention.
Digital Transformation Into the Future: AI and Cloud in the Industry
Innovative technologies have been transforming the way we do our businesses today, making our processes more efficient, smoother, and less prone to errors.
Cloud computing has been present in various industries even before the pandemic hit. However, when COVID-19 entered, 65 percent of decision-makers increased their budgets for the cloud, and 55 percent moved more workloads to the cloud than initially planned.² After witnessing the benefits of the cloud, including scalability, simplified innovation, reduced risk, and faster time to market, 40 percent of companies plan to accelerate their implementation.
On the other hand, generative AI has the potential to automate work activities that take up 60 to 70 percent of employees’ time.³ About 75 percent of the value that generative AI could deliver falls across these four areas: marketing and sales, customer operations, research and development, and software engineering. The productivity gained from it can add $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion to the global economy yearly.
Continuously Disrupted: Challenges to Cybersecurity to Be Aware Of
AI can be beneficial for organizations; however, it comes with vulnerabilities. Here are the cybersecurity challenges caused by generative AI and cloud technologies that Wipro found through its survey of 345 security leaders.
1. Millions of jobs may decline.
Unless organizations establish and enforce policies on generative AI and cloud, millions of jobs may be eliminated, according to Wipro. This can be supported by another report by the McKinsey Global Institute, where 12 million more occupational transitions are estimated to be needed by 2030.⁴ Workers in lower-paying jobs are up to 14 times more likely to change jobs than those in high-paying occupations. Women are also 1.5 times more likely to move into new roles than men.
The skills gap can be a potential concern in the future. If job transitions aren’t done right, organizations may be put at more risk due to the lack of human hands that can properly mitigate their cybersecurity concerns.
2. Data exposure can lead to downtime and revenue loss.
According to the Wipro report, 82 percent of nation-state attacks are focused on espionage, with the following sectors left most vulnerable:
- Private Sector: 39%
- Government: 34%
- Civil Society: 23%
The top threats people encounter remain the same: email phishing at 81 percent and ransomware attacks at 79 percent. Restoring the systems of targeted organizations is a challenge, with 65 percent experiencing downtime of more than six days after a ransomware attack. This can cost the organization its brand reputation, the trust of its consumers, and a loss in revenue.
Related Article: Exploring Today’s Digital Ecosystem: Stay Ahead of the Cybersecurity Curve
3. Poor AI and cloud implementation may lead to consumer dissatisfaction.
Wipro found that 79 percent of companies are now prioritizing automation and security orchestration. Risk management can be challenging with the speed at which generative AI and large language models evolve.
AI solutions can drive business growth because they can help smoothen the customer experience. However, they can also raise privacy concerns due to the amount of personal data AI technologies collect and analyze. If AI is implemented poorly, it can lead to the dissatisfaction of consumers and can damage the reputation of the brands involved.
On the other hand, although cloud hosting risks are declining from 54 percent in 2019 to 31 percent in 2022, cloud security loopholes such as misconfigurations and blind spots are still creating concerns for executive teams.
4. Lack of collaboration and involvement leads to security breaches.
It would be best to involve every member and partner to make your cybersecurity efforts more effective and error-free. Wipro found that only 27 percent of cyber simulation exercises involve board members. On the other hand, 35 percent of organizations reported their third-party suppliers had a security breach.
Cybersecurity may only be one part of your business, but it’s an aspect that everyone must be involved in. After all, every member of the organization will, one way or another, interact within cyberspace. Having even one area of your business breached can risk all your shared data. Risk reporting needs to be managed better throughout the organization.
Deploy with Intent: Practices for Proper Generative AI and Cloud Implementation
While there are challenges when it comes to AI usage and implementation, there are ways that you can mitigate risks. Here are three best practices when it comes to generating the full potential of AI.
1. Assign the right people and design a framework for accountability.
AI and machine learning (ML) can transform the cybersecurity landscape as they learn and grow with the business that leverages them. AI can accelerate defense to stay ahead of the attacks of bad actors. This can be done when the AI is trained to recognize attacks that don’t fit previous patterns.
However, AI and ML need the right people to function well. A proper deployment must be done, and the right people must write codes, test them, and oversee the AI process.
It would be best for organizations to design a risk-based framework for their AI that covers constant monitoring and oversight. Doing this can prevent the AI and its handlers from creating security holes and backdoors that may lead to data leaks.
2. Every employee handling AI and cloud should be educated in proper ethics.
If your team lacks knowledge in AI implementation, provide training courses focusing on cybersecurity. There are certifications online, such as the Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity Certificate by the San Diego State University.
The training may cover the impact of AI technologies on privacy, privacy protection, and compliance with privacy regulations. At the end of the training program, you’ll have a team of individuals who know the privacy risks and the appropriate measures to protect data throughout the AI lifecycle.
On the other hand, there are also several certifications in cloud security, such as CompTIA’s Cloud+. People who undergo this and similar courses can learn to deploy and automate secure cloud services while protecting critical data and applications.
Related Article: Adapting to Automation: Thriving in the Changing IT Landscape
3. Involving cybersecurity experts in the boardroom can be an advantage.
One important change organizations are embracing is including cybersecurity experts on their board, making security issues and risk tolerance part of board meetings. Having cybersecurity experts included on the board can help educate the other members about security data and how to enhance the quality of their security briefings.
Security and risk management are huge factors determining how well your business runs. They must be considered in every area of your operations, from web operations to marketing to distributions. Cybersecurity experts in the boardroom can ensure that your board members and team members can make strategic decisions that align with business objectives.
Cybersecurity Can Be Transformed Through Education and Collaboration
AI and cloud services have transformed industries, requiring your organization to upgrade its cybersecurity efforts. Start by training your team and assigning the right experts to handle these technologies you’ve equipped. Remember to collaborate and communicate throughout your cybersecurity process to avoid unforeseen threats.
Related Reading: Focus on What Matters: How Managed Services Free Up Your Resources for Value Delivery
FIND CYBERSECURITY EXPERTS WITH STRATEGIC SYSTEMS
You can gain better business results by responsibly leveraging AI and cloud technologies. Harness them with minimal errors by working with the right cybersecurity experts.
Strategic Systems Inc. can help you connect with these experts through our staffing solutions, offshore, and technical services.
Let us help you create an invulnerable cybersecurity system. Contact us today.
References
1. “State of Cybersecurity Report.” Wipro, 2023, www.wipro.com/wipro-state-of-cybersecurity-report-2023.
2. “What Is Cloud Computing?” McKinsey & Company, 17 Aug. 2022, www.mckinsey.com/what-is-cloud-computing.
3. “The Economic Potential of Generative AI: The Next Productivity Frontier.” McKinsey & Company, 14 Jun. 2023, www.mckinsey.com/the-economic-potential-of-generative-ai-the-next-productivity-frontier.
4. “Generative AI and the Future of Work in America.” McKinsey & Company, 26 Jul. 2023,
www.mckinsey.com/generative-ai-and-the-future-of-work-in-america.
