How AI Supplements Cybersecurity

Presenter: Ashutosh Shukla

Why Cybersecurity Matters

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• Our personal data (bank info, photos) is online
• Hackers try to steal data and cause harm
• Cyberattacks are happening more and more
• Cybersecurity helps protect our emails, bank accounts, social media, and even work files

• Real-life example: Famous companies like Facebook and Equifax have had their user data stolen
• Real-life example: A school district’s computers were locked by ransomware and they had to pay to get them back
• Without cybersecurity, even a small mistake like clicking a bad link can cause big trouble

Why Old Methods Aren’t Enough

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• Old methods need known attack patterns (like a library of bad guys)
• Hackers are smarter and create new tricks every day
• Too many warnings make it hard for security teams to spot real problems
• These systems often can't keep up with fast-evolving threats
• Sometimes hackers test attacks slowly over time to avoid detection, which traditional tools may miss
• Real-life example: Spam filters missing phishing emails or flagging important messages
• Real-life example: Antivirus tools not detecting brand-new malware until it's too late

How Hackers Use AI

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• Hackers use AI to create fake emails that look very real
• They use AI to find weak spots in systems faster
• AI helps hackers guess passwords quicker
• AI can impersonate real people (deepfakes, fake voices) to fool users
• Real-life example: Deepfake videos used for scams
• Real-life example: A CEO voice clone used in a phone scam to trick an employee

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How AI Helps Cybersecurity

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• AI learns from lots of data and finds strange activities
• It works super fast, faster than humans
• AI spots new kinds of attacks without needing to "know" them first
• It connects different signals to detect hidden attacks (like multiple failed logins + strange IP + late-night activity)
• Real-life example: AI alerting a team when someone tries logging in from an unusual country

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Why Cybersecurity Needs AI

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• Hackers are using smarter tools; defenders need smarter protection
• AI can look at millions of activities at once
• It can stop threats before they cause damage
• It helps security teams focus on real issues, not waste time on false alarms
• AI keeps learning and improving over time from new data
• Real-life example: Banks use AI to spot and block strange transactions in seconds
• Real-life example: Security software using AI to block malware even if it's brand new

Real Examples of AI in Cybersecurity

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• AI checks emails for fake messages (phishing)
• AI watches login patterns (if someone logs in from another country suddenly)
• AI helps protect your bank app from fraud
• AI spots strange behavior, like downloading too much data or logging in at odd times
• AI stops fake websites that look like real ones
• Real-life example: Gmail uses AI to stop spam and phishing emails

Why AI is Good for Cybersecurity

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• Finds threats faster
• Reduces human mistakes
• Works all day and night without getting tired
• Makes security cheaper and more reliable
• Can protect more devices and users at once than a human team
• Helps organizations respond quickly to emergencies

Some Challenges with AI

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• Hackers can also use AI to attack
• AI needs a lot of good data to learn properly
• Sometimes AI makes mistakes (like wrong spam filters)
• It can be hard to understand why AI made a certain decision
• Real-life example: A safe email getting wrongly blocked
• Real-life example: AI model accidentally ignoring a slow, sneaky cyberattack

Future with AI and Cybersecurity

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• AI will help humans work better, not replace them
• Systems will fix some problems automatically
• Security will become smarter and faster
• Cyber defense teams will work side-by-side with AI to fight new types of attacks
• AI may even predict attacks before they happen

Questions?