ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:

An Emerging Catalyst
for Cyber Security
 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: AN EMERGING CATALYST FOR CYBER SECURITY | 2

Introduction
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has come of age in elevating cyber security. In 2018,
global development of AI within the cyber security market reached $7.1 billion, and it’s
projected to reach nearly $30.9 billion by 2025.1

It’s a market segment that’s reaching C-suite executives.

A Cap Gemini Institute survey of 850 senior information security executives found 61%
of enterprises can no longer detect breach attempts without AI technology.2 Another
48% claim they’ll be increasing AI budgets by an average of 29% in FY 2020. Seventy-five
percent of these executives say they are currently testing AI cyber security use cases.3

The further along you are in your

digital transformation, the greater AI offers huge opportunities for cyber
your exposure to cyberattacks.
Digitalization means more entry security. This is because you move
points beyond the conventional
network perimeter, including cloud
from detection, manual reaction, and
deployments and connected mobile remediation towards an automated
and IoT devices. Add increased
vulnerabilities to an intensified remediation, which organizations would like
cyberattack environment and it’s
clear; modern cyber security can’t
to achieve in the next three or five years.
be anything less than smart, agile, – Oliver Scherer, CISO, MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group 4
and manageable.

In this paper, we’ll explore how artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) can
bolster your cyber security practices. We’ll discuss how increased intelligence is helping
to forge a more proactive cybersecurity approach that allows you to prevent threats before
they unleash destructive payloads.

1 “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cyber Security Market Will Reach to USD 30.9 Billion by 2025,” Zion Market Research, August 28, 2019
2 “Why AI is the Future of Cybersecurity,” by Louis Columbus, Forbes, July 14, 2019
3 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: AN EMERGING CATALYST FOR CYBER SECURITY | 3

Reinventing Cyber Security with AI

Incorporating AI into cyber security is a global, cross-industry endeavor. The chart below shows how
virtually all industries are looking to AI for improved security. Telecommunication, manufacturing, and
banking rank highest.5

Figure 1. Source: Cap Gemini - Industries and AI cyber security

Telecommunication companies use machine learning algorithms to detect fraudulent activity such as theft
or fake profiles, and illegal access, among other activities. Algorithms learn “normal” activity, which allows
IT security to spot anomalies with huge data sets. Organizations gain near real-time response to suspicious
behaviors.6 Similarly, banks are upgrading and overhauling traditional fraud and cyber security threat
detection with AI-based technology. Improved anomaly detection that identifies abnormalities in a dataset
can speed up fraud detection and prove more cost effective.7

For decades, traditional firewalls with packet filtering, stateful inspection, VPN support, among other
capabilities have defended perimeter-based networks. Next generation firewalls include network device
filtering capabilities such as advanced threat prevention, anti-virus, URL filtering, intrusion prevention,
and other functions. Protecting beyond conventional networks that can include dynamic, multi-cloud
environments, and network-connected endpoint and mobile devices offers new challenges.

5 “Why AI is the Future of Cybersecurity,” by Louis Columbus, Forbes, July 14, 2019
6 “The Amazing Ways Telecom Companies Use Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning,” by Bernard Marr, Forbes, September 2, 2019
7 “How artificial intelligence is helping banks,” by Raghav Bharadwaj, Fintech News, August 30, 2019
 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: AN EMERGING CATALYST FOR CYBER SECURITY | 4

Making a Case for AI-based Cyber Security

AI can help organizations identify and respond to breaches faster. Smart algorithms are key to helping
software do its job at a rapid clip while simultaneously increasing accuracy. Here are several reasons why AI-
based cyber security is growing:

• Computing power for specialized AI chipsets has increased

• Data lakes and connected Internet of Things (IoT) have increased the amount of training data for AI
algorithms, expanding AI domains and decreasing costs

• Accuracy and applicability of existing algorithms have been increased by overcoming previous
technology bottlenecks

• Decreased costs for cloud storage and computing have made combining highly specialized knowledge
easier than ever before

The infusion of AI and machine learning into cyber security is proving to be a competitive differentiator. It can
allow you to adopt cyber security that’s effective in preventing unknown, zero-day threats.

The graphic below shows that AI can play a role across many attack vectors:

Figure 2. Source: Capgemini Research Institute - Ai in Cybersecurity executive survey, N = 850 executives

8
“Software at the World, Now AI is Eating Software,” by Tarry Singh, Forbes, August 29, 2018.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2019/08/29/software-ate-the-world-now-ai-is-eating-software/#16d66c395810h
9
“Why AI is the Future of Cybersecurity,” by Louis Columbus, Forbes, July 14, 2019
 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: AN EMERGING CATALYST FOR CYBER SECURITY | 5

Practical Uses Cases for AI and Machine Learning in

Cyber Security
The machine learning piece of AI enables computers to use and adapt algorithms based on the data that’s
collected. Computers can then learn from it, and understand what security improvements are needed. With
advanced cyber security platforms, computers can predict threats and observe anomalies faster and with
greater accuracy than humans. Here is a list of practical uses for AI/ML as seen from a CISO and security
researcher perspective:10

• Password protection and authentication: AI is being used to enhance biometric authentication,

remove imperfection, and develop a more reliable system. Apple’s Face ID is an example.

• Phishing detection and prevention control: AI-ML can detect and track active phishing threats and
respond and remediate more quickly than humans. AI is used to rapidly differentiate between fake and
legitimate websites.

• Vulnerability management: AI-based systems can proactively look for potential vulnerabilities in
information systems by analyzing important factors such as discussions on the dark web, hacker
reputation, and patterns used, among others. An analysis of these factors can help determine when
and how a threat might be launched at vulnerable targets.

• Network security: AI can be used to expedite several processes, including the creation of security
policy, and to figure out an organization’s network topography. Observing and learning network traffic
patterns can help suggest security protocols.

• Behavioral analytics: ML algorithms learn and create behavior patterns based on how a device and
online platform are used. Unusual activities are flagged as suspicious, triggering the blocking of a
user action.

10
“How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Cyber Security Landscape and Preventing Cyber Attacks,” by Remesh Ramachandran,
Entrepreneur, September 14, 2019
 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: AN EMERGING CATALYST FOR CYBER SECURITY | 6

Conclusion
When it comes to keeping your people and their data safe from cyberattacks, AI has emerged as
a key technology to elevate cyber security for the digital age. It’s already demonstrating its ability
to improve the accuracy, detection, and prevention of cyberthreats. AI-driven cyber security offers
business benefits, including reduced costs and improved user productivity time.

It needs mentioning, however, that AI technology is available to all who want or need it. Adversaries
could use AI to automate cyberattacks and hack a system’s vulnerability even faster than it’s done
today. AI might be used to disguise attacks so that you do not know that your network or device has
been exploited. Cyberattacks are an ugly reality for organizations around the globe, and the threats
grow more challenging with each passing day. The emergence of AI technology that integrates into
your cyber security is an important trend worth your investigation.

Check Point has adopted AI-capabilities into its solutions for many years. SandBlast Network and
SandBlast Agent (for endpoint protection) are examples of improved threat prevention combining
AI, machine learning, and behavioral analysis. Our AI-based malware code decomposition explores
malware DNA and ancestry to help protect against unknown malware and understand its contents.

For further information, visit Check Point Zero-Day Protection.

11
“How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Cyber Security Landscape and Preventing Cyber Attacks,” by Remesh Ramachandran,
Entrepreneur, September 14, 2019

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