How AI improves cybersecurity: combating cyber threats

Until recently, AI seemed like something unattainable. Today, it is a working tool that helps protect data and respond to threats faster than a human can open a monitor.

At KISS Software, we use artificial intelligence in security systems  for projects of various scales. This helps to configure local network protection and build automatic incident response systems.

In this article, we will discuss how AI actually enhances cyber security and why it is dangerous to launch it without an experienced team. Yevhen Kasyanenko, our leading specialist, has implemented such systems on numerous occasions. He will share case studies with you and tell you where algorithms really save the day.

“AI is not magic and it is not a replacement for a specialist. It is a tool that, when configured correctly, works like an extra pair of eyes that never tire or get distracted. But “configuration” is the key word here. Without experience and understanding of how algorithms make decisions, you may not strengthen your defenses, but instead create a new vulnerability,” explains Evgeny.

The role of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity

Artificial intelligence has become an indispensable element in cybersecurity and successfully detects threats that humans cannot. We see that it works around the clock, without fatigue, and responds to suspicious activity within seconds, which is very encouraging.

How AI helps detect threats

AI compares current activity with a model of normal employee and system behavior. This allows it to immediately filter out false positives and focus on real threats.

Here are a few examples that may occur in practice:

• Suspicious employee activity. An employee who usually works with email and CRM during working hours suddenly logs in at night and downloads an archive containing customer data. Such behavior immediately goes beyond the norm – the system flags it as a suspicious incident and sends a security alert.
• Abnormal network traffic. A server that normally exchanges almost no data suddenly starts uploading gigabytes of information to an external address. AI sees this as a potential leak and immediately breaks the connection.

“Reducing the workload on the security team is one of the main advantages. Now they spend their time analyzing rather than filtering out false alarms,” adds our expert.

Preventing attacks with AI

AI not only reacts, it predicts. This allows you to strengthen your defenses before an attack even begins. This includes the following capabilities:

• Predictive analytics. Based on history, AI determines which parts of the infrastructure are vulnerable to attacks and suggests ways to strengthen them.
• Automatic actions. When the risk is high, artificial intelligence in security systems can temporarily disable vulnerable services or activate additional levels of protection.
• Machine learning from incidents. New types of malware are immediately added to the model, and protection is updated automatically.

Key advantages of AI in security systems

Modern security systems with artificial intelligence have become significantly faster and smarter. This is because they process data immediately and do not waste time on lengthy analyses. As soon as a threat appears, AI springs into action. It clearly understands what is happening and immediately activates protection. As a result, the response is almost instantaneous, and the risk of serious consequences is minimized.

Rapid response to cyberattacks

During a cyberattack, every minute counts, and even five minutes can be enough for an attacker to get their hands on confidential information. Artificial intelligence acts without delay. It detects threats almost instantly and responds, thereby drastically reducing the time a hacker has to cause damage.

We can highlight the following advantages of the rapid response of artificial intelligence:

• Constant monitoring. No breaks for weekends or fatigue.
• Automatic actions. For example, restricting access if AI detects suspicious behavior.
• Reduced downtime. AI reacts instantly, preventing failures before they affect system performance, reducing downtime and, therefore, budget losses.

“Thanks to automatic blocking, a virus did not have time to disable the server of one of our clients. The loss amounted to only 7 minutes instead of 3 hours,” recalls our expert.

High accuracy and reduction of false positives

No one likes it when every other alarm is a false alarm. AI makes alerts accurate and meaningful thanks to a set of capabilities:

• Contextual analysis. Not only the event is taken into account, but also who, where, when, and with what rights it was performed.
• Continuous learning. The model becomes more accurate with each new day of operation.

In our experience, AI reduces noise in the security system and allows specialists to focus on truly important incidents.

“In one project, we initially received about 200 alerts per day. Most of them were false. After combining the logs into a single repository and revising the parameters, there were 12 left. None of them turned out to be false. The conclusion is obvious: without fine-tuning, AI does not work to its full potential,” says Yevhen Kasyanenko.

The application of AI in various aspects of cybersecurity

AI is used not only at the network level, but also in other important components of protection.

Detection of phishing and malware

Phishing is one of the most insidious methods of attack. The email that arrives looks like a normal one, but inside there is a malicious link or attachment. Artificial intelligence copes with such threats not only faster than humans, but also more accurately than traditional filters.

It analyzes the text of the email, attachments, sender’s address, IP, and even the time of sending. It also tracks the recipient’s behavior. All of this helps to identify the threat before a person reacts to it. For example, if at 3:12 a.m. an email marked “Urgent” arrives, supposedly from the director, but from an unfamiliar domain, and the style of the email is different from the usual, the system does not simply filter it, but places it in quarantine and notifies the team.

“In one case, AI detected that the email came from a new server but used a template for correspondence with the accountant. It was a targeted phishing attack — manual review would not have helped,” our expert shares.

Targeted phishing emails are tricky. The scammer first studies how your company communicates and then copies the style. At KISS Software, we give the algorithm real correspondence to read so that it can remember these nuances. As soon as an email appears that breaks this pattern, for example, an unusual phrase, a foreign domain, an unnecessary request, etc., artificial intelligence immediately quarantines it until we check it manually.

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

AI in a security system doesn’t just check logins and passwords, it monitors how a person usually works and checks in real time to see if everything is okay. This is important because:

• Behavior under control. For example, if an employee usually opens marketing reports but suddenly accesses the financial database, the system notices this. Such behavior is considered suspicious, access is temporarily restricted, and security is alerted.
• Login verification. If someone logs in from an unfamiliar device, from another city, or outside of working hours, the system may request additional identity verification or even block access until everything is checked manually.

“In one of the projects, an attempt to compromise the administrator’s account began precisely through a login from a home IP address on a day off. The AI reacted before the attacker reached the internal systems,” says Yevhen Kasyanenko.

Endpoint protection

Computers, smartphones, printers, and IoT devices are all entry points that are often targeted by hackers.

Artificial intelligence in cybersecurity monitors what is happening at all entry points, paying attention to the following:

• Isolation. When an unknown process is launched on a device, the system isolates it until it is verified.
• Activity monitoring. A sudden increase in network traffic, the launch of scripts, changes to system files, and other processes are immediately detected.
• Application behavior analysis. If a legitimate program starts to behave abnormally, it may be a sign of infection.

Thus, endpoint protection is far more than just antivirus software. It is an intelligent system that prevents attacks from spreading within the network.

Why it is important to turn to professionals

If the system is configured incorrectly or implemented with errors, it may not strengthen security, but rather open the door to hackers. They find such holes quickly. In order not to risk data security, it is better to immediately connect specialists who know how to do everything reliably.

When it comes to artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, it requires precise configuration, otherwise it is ineffective. At KISS Software, we start with an audit. Then we create a model for your infrastructure, train it, and configure it for real-world tasks. This is the only way to use artificial intelligence to achieve high-quality protection of information and processes.

What we pay attention to:

• Unrelated data. If security events are stored in different places, AI only sees part of the picture. We set up a single event repository.
• Excessive sensitivity. If artificial intelligence in security systems is configured incorrectly, it will generate dozens of alarms over minor issues. We help set reasonable rules so that you only receive important signals.
• No plan in case of an alarm. Even if AI recognizes a threat, it is important to understand who will respond, how, and when. We compile short, clear instructions for your team.

“Proper AI configuration for cyber protection is very important. If you just turn it on and leave it, there will be no result. We know how to implement it wisely and according to the tasks of a specific company,” says Yevhen Kasyanenko.

Conclusion

AI in security systems is simply a necessity, given today’s realities. It analyzes, reacts, learns, and protects faster than humans. But to get the most out of this technology, it’s important not just to install it, but to implement it correctly. At KISS Software, we know how to do this. We take responsibility for the result!