AI is on everyone’s minds. Integrating it and other emerging technologies into various business operations has become inevitable. However, with innovation comes the pressing need for a comprehensive security assessment to mitigate potential risks.
Together with Tony Gonzalez, Fortune 50/500 Cybersecurity Executive and a 2023 CISOs Connect™ Top 100 CISOs award winner, we delve into the importance of understanding AI usage, the significance of data governance, and the evolving risk management landscape.
Aim for pragmatism, steering clear of generic platforms and opting for a governance model that aligns with your organisation's risk posture.
Understanding the use of AI
When considering the implementation of AI, it comes down to a diligent security assessment of the technology and its intended use. Whether you’re using AI for drafting form letters or data mining, the spectrum of applications poses different risks.
The key is to ask questions about data flow, storage, and potential exposure points. By doing a deep dive, you can get comfortable that exposure is minimal.
For internal employee use, it’s imperative to establish a service with the right controls around it. This ensures that applications are not misused or become potential avenues for data breaches. Aim for pragmatism, steering clear of generic platforms and opting for a governance model that aligns with your organisation’s risk posture.
The most significant damage arising from incidents is often reputational. Building a brand name takes years but only seconds or minutes to tarnish. To safeguard against this, setting up a robust governance model is crucial. Focus on what you can control; there are things you can shift from being unable to control to something you can.
While achieving foolproof security is nearly impossible, organisations can reach controllability aligned with their risk appetite.
Adapting to the evolving threat landscape
Data leakage is a prevalent concern and the involvement of third-party partners further complicates the landscape. Conducting thorough due diligence on vendors, assessing them annually, and staying informed about changes in their services or software is paramount.
Certifications, while valuable, need to be regularly re-evaluated in the context of evolving risks and changing services.
Organisations often start with limited usage of third-party services, only to see them expand globally. This shift requires a continuous evaluation of risks. While achieving foolproof security is nearly impossible, organisations can reach controllability aligned with their risk appetite.
As the threat landscape evolves, organisations must excel at fundamental activities such as patch management, upgrades, and maintaining a secure technology stack.
No matter what controls you put in place or what you do, there will always be some level of risk, and you have to be open and transparent about it. There are always bad actors out there finding a way or looking for a way to compromise or control your organisation.
As the threat landscape evolves, organisations must excel at fundamental activities such as patch management, upgrades, and maintaining a secure technology stack. Defence-in-depth strategies remain powerful, as you cannot rely on a single control measure.
Looking ahead: Third-party risk management, awareness, and regulatory compliance
Looking to the future, third-party risk management, employee awareness, and an ever-changing regulatory environment will continue to challenge organisations.
Educating employees on best practices, addressing potential issues promptly, and staying abreast of regulatory changes are crucial.
A continual review of controls ensures alignment with regulations – mainly when operating in multiple states and countries, enabling organisations to navigate the complex security landscape successfully.
