How generative AI can address the cybersecurity resource gap
In the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity, one of the biggest challenges organizations face is finding and retaining a skilled team of cybersecurity professionals. The demand for these professionals far exceeds the current supply, leading to significant labor shortages in the industry. According to ISC2, there is currently a shortage of nearly 4 million cybersecurity professionals, and this number is expected to continue to grow.
To address this resource gap and ease the burden on security analysts and engineers, generative AI is emerging as a promising solution. Generative AI refers to the use of artificial intelligence to create new content, such as training materials, documents, and communications messages. By leveraging generative AI, organizations can overcome some of the key challenges facing the cybersecurity workforce.
One way generative AI lowers the barrier to entry into the cybersecurity industry is by creating more dynamic and accessible training materials. Traditionally, this industry has required specialized training and certifications, which can deter potential candidates from pursuing a career in cybersecurity. However, generative AI can be applied to technical documentation and other cybersecurity information to create customized training materials for new employees. This approach eliminates the need for extensive prior training and allows you to quickly acquire the knowledge and skills needed to enter the field.
Another benefit of generative AI in the cybersecurity field is the creation of user-friendly documentation. There is currently a huge amount of technical documentation available on the market regarding various cybersecurity tools. Users often struggle to navigate this extensive documentation and rely on vendors for training and support. Generative AI can process this information and distill it into accurate and meaningful content that is easy for users to understand. This not only allows users to access information more quickly, but also accelerates the implementation process and ultimately reduces risk.
Additionally, generative AI can help reduce the risk of burnout for security professionals. These professionals often suffer from burnout due to the tedious tasks involved in their jobs, such as searching for documents and recording processes and findings. Generative AI-powered large language models (LLMs) can analyze and synthesize data, allowing security analysts to quickly find the information they need and communicate effectively with their teams. By reducing time spent on administrative tasks, security professionals can focus more on remediating risks and strengthening overall security.
Continuing education is another area where generative AI can have a big impact. Cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving, and professionals need to stay up to date with the latest news and research. However, the demanding nature of their work often leaves them with little time for education. Generative AI allows you to gather and extract relevant information from trusted sources such as industry publications and trade associations. This curated content is delivered to security professionals to help them stay informed and effectively adapt to emerging threats.
Generative AI can not only improve individual skills and knowledge, but also enhance organizational security communication between teams. Phishing attempts and other security incidents often require the integration of large amounts of information. Generative AI can automate this process by analyzing the text and creating custom messages tailored to each department's capabilities. This allows departments to effectively mitigate risk, reducing incident load and freeing up security teams to focus on important tasks.
Generative AI has tremendous potential to address gaps in cybersecurity resources, but it is important to establish appropriate guardrails and policies to ensure its responsible use. Organizations must have a paid contractual relationship with the Gen AI platform vendor for guidance and troubleshooting support. It is essential to train generative AI only with trusted sources and to verify and run the generated output with human supervision.
Generative AI is already revolutionizing the cybersecurity industry and will play a key role in bridging the resource gap. By leveraging this technology, organizations can attract more talent to the field and increase the capabilities of existing teams. Although it requires careful consideration and appropriate safeguards, the potential benefits of generative AI in cybersecurity are undoubtedly promising and pave the way to a more secure digital environment.
Kyle Black, Cybersecurity Architect at Symantec by Broadcom, emphasizes the importance of generative AI in addressing the cybersecurity resource gap. Generative AI is transforming industries through its ability to lower barriers to entry, create easy-to-use documentation, reduce burnout, facilitate continuing education, and improve communication between teams. However, to ensure its effectiveness and maintain transparency, it is important to use it responsibly and implement appropriate policies. By harnessing the power of generative AI, organizations can eliminate cybersecurity talent shortages and strengthen their overall security posture.
