Splunk, the cybersecurity and observability leader, in collaboration with Enterprise Strategy Group, today released the “State of Security 2024: The Race to Harness AI” global research report. A total of 1,650 security leaders participated in the global survey, with many reporting that cybersecurity has become easier to manage compared to past years. However, cybersecurity defenders now find themselves in a race against adversaries to harness generative AI (Gen AI).
According to the report, organizations have heavily adopted Gen AI tools within their teams. Compared to organizations that are still developing a cybersecurity program, those with advanced approaches have significant budgets, resources, and authority and are well-positioned to embrace cutting-edge Gen AI tools and technologies. However, despite this widespread adoption, many organizations lack a clear Gen AI policy or full grasp of the technology’s broader implications. Furthermore, cybersecurity leaders are divided on who will gain the upper hand in leveraging Gen AI tools: cybersecurity defenders or threat actors.
“We are in an AI gold rush, with bad actors and security professionals both trying to seize the advantage,” said Patrick Coughlin, SVP, Global Technical Sales, Splunk. “The introduction of Gen AI creates new opportunities for organizations to streamline processes, increase productivity, and limit staff burnout. Unfortunately, Gen AI also presents unprecedented advantages for threat actors. To combat this new threat landscape, defenders must outpace threat actors in the race to harness and securely deploy the power of Gen AI.”
Cybersecurity hiring has proven to be a considerable challenge in recent years, especially for entry-level workers seeking to break into the industry. Our report indicates that Gen AI is a possible solution to this problem as it helps organizations discover and onboard entry-level talent more efficiently. Additionally, the majority of cybersecurity professionals anticipate that Gen AI will enhance their speed and productivity.
The majority of security professionals are also facing growing compliance pressures. The implementation of stricter compliance requirements has significantly raised the stakes, particularly for security leaders who may personally face repercussions for the organizations’ violations. This changing compliance landscape underscores the need for increased vigilance and accountability within the security sector.