J2SECOPS WEEKLY NEWS: This week in the J2 CSC, Adoption of AI and automation technologies; to augment and compete.

Conceptual understanding of automation and artificial intelligence dominate with contrary views over its impacts in terms of the human condition and specifically the cybersecurity headlines in the past few months, so it’s no surprise that this will remain a major trend going forward.

I suppose, considering the divergent views, one of the areas of consensus, at least to my mind, is that there will be at the very least, a greater adoption across the security industry, and that the practice will undoubtably be more effective in reducing the impacts of future attacks.

Already we are living in an automation and orchestration driven cybersecurity threat hunter world, and again to my mind, I believe that most current challenges are with integration, specifically, the remedial and ongoing assurance processes. The big impact on information security right now, is that we are still churning out CISSPs and CEHs and it is far from certain, at this point, as to what new skillsets that industry specialists and most businesses are going to need to wrap their heads around the ongoing and drastic skill alignment requirements and gaps, especially in this brave new IoT (Internet of Things) world.

Based on my recent research AI seemed to bridge two gaps: –firstly the introduction of skills deficiency over time that resources like people have as an inherent risk and secondly the making sense of all the data generated by our investments with the ability to respond far quicker and proactively to prevent service disruptions and potential seditious acts.

As we mature as an industry, by the adoption and implementation of emerging technologies like AI, machine learning and automation will make it increasingly difficult for cyber-criminals to impact our lives. AI, where successfully implemented, will continue impacting risk in a very positive way by influencing decision making by producing risks reducing decisions on the fly. Based on this it is far less complicated  to see how and why AI would be the most popular driver for the future of cybersecurity: it is a popular topic now, and its benefits appear to outweigh the negatives in terms of what’s on offer.

Adapt or become extinct like all that has gone before.
And with this in mind, enjoy our roundup of stories for this week…

Mind the Gap: Addressing South Africa’s cybersecurity skills shortage

With the advances in computing power and Artificial Intelligence (AI), we find ourselves in a space where computers and computer systems can do our jobs more effectively, faster and more cost effectively. John Maynard Keynes in Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren refers to the shift from manual labour to computer power, and the turmoil this is causing in different industries globally as technological unemployment. Joshua Kim, in his review of Colvile’s book (The Great Acceleration and Your Crazy Higher Ed Life), summarises that we could choose to turn off the email, the Twitter feeds, the Slack channels, and the Open Online Courses – and sometimes we do. But then we turn them back on again, as it is through these information sources and social platforms that we learn, connect, and create.

Addressing South Africa’s cybersecurity skills shortage | Elmarie Biermann and Noëlle van der Waag-Cowling

Humans Plus Robots: Why the Two Are Better Than Either One Alone

The idea of artificial intelligence may strike fear in the hearts of some business leaders, but there is no need to panic. In their new book, Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI, Paul Daugherty and James Wilson make a compelling case for pairing this particular technology with human capital. Daugherty, who is chief technology and innovation officer for Accenture, and Wilson, who is managing director of information technology and business research at Accenture. One of the things that they talk about in the book is the idea of responsible AI, the ethics and new questions requiring answers with AI. They have developed COBE, which stands for Code of Business Ethics, and it is an internal AI-enabled chat bot to help people better understand some of the ethical issues and questions that come up in business generally but also with artificial intelligence.

Humans Plus Robots: Why the Two Are Better Than Either One Alone | Knowledge@Wharton

There's nothing fake about cybersecurity potential of artificial intelligence

The first word in AI may stand for "artificial," but the belief in its potential for cybersecurity in government and business circles is very real. In fact, industry sources say efforts to make use of artificial intelligence could drive a more flexible approach to cyber-related regulation, particularly in the finance sector. Former White House cybersecurity coordinator Rob Joyce, now back at the National Security Agency, called AI a “key element” in cybersecurity strategy in a recent speech.

Cybersecurity potential of artificial intelligence | Charlie Mitchell

And now for something completely different:

Continuous Information Security Monitoring to Combat Continuous Threats

Let’s face it, the bad guys aren’t going to let up when it comes to finding the holes in your security. They only need to find one weak spot to exploit, and they WILL find it if it’s there. This is why continuous security monitoring remains a must. And, this starts with knowing what assets are on your network and where you’re exposed. Let AlienVault USM help you gain the advantage over cyber-criminals.

Continuous security monitoring | Amy Pace

Common Scams

The risks organizations face from cyber threats are at epidemic levels.  The threats are sophisticated, attack your weakest links (your employees) and are continuing to evolve at an alarming rate.  Here are some of the most effective cyber scams EDTS Cyber sees facing organizations today.

Common Scams | Delano Collins