Transforming Cybersecurity with AI: A Revolutionary Approach
FREE to IEEE Members
Non-Members: $2.99
In their new IEEE-USA E-Book, Transforming Cybersecurity With AI: A Revolutionary Approach, Dr. R. Baskaran, Dr. Abhishek Mahesh Appaji, and Dr. S. S. Iyengar lay out why and how cyber professionals should use AI to enhance security.
The authors assert, “In the current landscape, where AI increasingly fuels cyberthreats, traditional security measures are insufficient.” A major reason is cybercriminals themselves are using AI — posing larger and more complex challenges for those entrusted with keeping systems secure. “Cybercriminals are leveraging AI to design adaptive malware, execute phishing campaigns, and exploit vulnerabilities with unprecedented precision.”
The authors argue that traditional cybersecurity approaches, reliant on static and signature-based defenses, are vulnerable to cybercriminals’ increasing AI use, writing it is essential AI be integrated into cyber defenses to identify, mitigate and prevent real-time cyberthreats. They conclude, “By leveraging machine learning (ML) algorithms and automated systems, AI offers advanced solutions for identifying and mitigating cyberthreats, thereby enhancing digital infrastructures’ overall security.”
The authors point out AI can assist cybersecurity efforts across broad areas, including enhancing network security (monitoring network traffic, as well as detecting and preventing intrusions); endpoint security (protecting against such threats as malware and ransomware); and cloud security (helping secure cloud-based infrastructure and data). It can also provide predictive analytics to give early warnings, or even anticipate system attacks.
This e-book includes examples of how banks have used AI in fraud detection; how healthcare systems have used it to detect unusual access patterns to safeguard patient records; and how e-commerce firms have used it to enhance the security of transactions.
The authors suggest AI can provide:
Enhanced Threat Detection – Through machine-learning algorithms, AI can identify patterns and anomalies indicative of potential threats.
Anomaly Detection – AI-powered systems can establish normal behavior baselines, and detect deviations in real time, providing early warnings of potential security breaches.
Cyberthreat Intelligence (CTI) – AI can improve knowledge of growing threats through automating data collection from dark web forums, social media and threat databases.
The authors emphasize integrating AI into legacy systems can present challenges; and AI use must be dynamic to respond to adversaries using evolving AI to their advantage.
In integrating AI into the existing cybersecurity infrastructure, the authors suggest going through the following steps:
- Assess Organizational Readiness
- Develop AI-Powered Cybersecurity Strategy
- Implement AI-Powered Tools and Techniques
- Monitor and Evaluate
Transforming Cybersecurity With AI: A Revolutionary Approach, by Dr. R. Baskaran, Dr. Abhishek Mahesh Appaji, and Dr. S. S. Iyengar, is a needed read for those in the cybersecurity profession; or for anyone who wants to understand how AI is presenting challenges, and solutions, in this evolving, dynamic field.
Transforming Cybersecurity With AI: A Revolutionary Approach is available for free at the IEEE-USA Shop for IEEE members; non-members pay $2.99.
About the authors:
Dr. R. Baskaran has more than 35 years of experience in R&D, specializing in optics, opto-mechanics, and advanced technologies for defense and aerospace applications. He has contributed to projects across diverse sectors, including armament, naval, and aerospace engineering. His technical expertise encompasses the development, validation, and deployment of opto-mechanical systems, such as advanced weapon boresight systems, high-precision alignment devices for armored fighting vehicles (AFVs), and optical non-destructive testing (NDT) for aero-engine components. He has duel Masters degrees in Physics and Computer Science and a Ph.D. in Opto-Mechanics from Anna University. He is a life member of the Indian Laser Association and the Optical Society of India.
Dr. Abhishek Appaji is R&D Head and Associate Professor at B.M.S. College of Engineering, Bengaluru as well as Guest Faculty at Maastricht University, the Netherlands. He is a graduate of the MIT Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp. He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Medical Electronics from BMSCE, a Masters of Technology in Information Technology, and a Masters of Engineering (M.E) in Bioinformatics from University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Bengaluru. His Ph.D. was in Mental Health and Neurosciences from Maastricht University, the Netherlands. Appaji is a Senior Member of IEEE and is active in the Bangalore Section and Chapter. He has written and lectured extensively.
Dr. S. S. Iyengar is a Distinguished University Professor and Ryder Professor of Computer Science at Florida International University (FIU), Miami, and former Director of its Knight Foundation School of Computing. He previously held the Roy Paul Daniel Distinguished Professorship at Louisiana State University, where he served as Chair of Computer Science for more than 20 years. He has contributed groundbreaking research in high-performance algorithms, sensor fusion and intelligent systems. He has supervised more than 55 Ph.D. and 100 Masters students, authored 22 books, and published more than 500 papers. He is a graduate of IISc and Mississippi State University.
