This presentation forms part of the CTA's Threat Intelligence Practitioners' Summit
Thursday 5 October 2023 16:00 - 16:30, Small Talks room
Samir Mody (K7), Abhishek Karnik (McAfee), Selena Larson (Proofpoint)
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are rapidly evolving, while at the same time, access to them has become as easy as logging into a website and providing credit card details. As the application of AI continues to grow and we realize its benefits, the risks of cyber attacks, data breaches, and the proliferation of misinformation also grow. Security vendors play a critical role in safeguarding businesses and individuals against threats by providing timely and effective protection.
While advancements in AI and machine learning (ML) have proven valuable in developing strong cyber defences, the recent proliferation of tools such as ChatGPT, BARD, DALL-E and others have significantly lowered the barrier to entry not only for the everyday user, but also for bad actors, making social engineering techniques such as phishing, and disinformation such as deepfakes, not only easier to produce, but much more believable. In an AI-driven world, it's essential for security vendors to discover and react quickly to new threats and vulnerabilities.
Cybersecurity is one of, if not the only industry whose target is actively using AI to try to evade, target or circumvent our efforts. This, combined with the speed at which AI is evolving, means that cybersecurity vendors must work not only to identify new and emerging threats and threat vectors, but also to defend the models we’re using to combat these attacks.
In this panel discussion, experts from the computer security industry will explore the challenges and opportunities presented in an AI-driven world and discuss how security vendors can best protect their clients against these threats. We will discuss the ethical considerations of AI-powered security solutions and the need for collaboration between vendors, researchers and policymakers to create a secure and sustainable digital future.
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Samir Mody Samir Mody graduated from the University of Oxford in 2000 with a First-Class Master’s degree in chemical engineering, economics and management. He spent over nine years at Sophos UK, the final three as Threat Operations Manager of SophosLabs. Since August 2010 he has been running K7 Labs in Chennai, India. Samir has actively contributed to the IEEE Taggant System project and other industry collaborations such as AMTSO and CTA. He has co-authored and/or presented papers and participated in panel discussions at various international security conferences (VB, AVAR, EICAR). Samir's interests include reading (philosophy, politics, history, literature and economics), sport and classical music.
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Selena Larson Selena Larson is a senior threat intelligence analyst at Proofpoint on the Threat Research team. She collaborates with fellow researchers to identify and investigate advanced threats and develop actionable threat intelligence. Selena is also the co-host of the DISCARDED podcast, featuring unique research and insights from individuals in the infosec industry. Previously, she was a cyber threat analyst for the industrial cybersecurity firm Dragos, and a cybersecurity and privacy journalist.
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Abhishek Karnik Abhishek Karnik is the Senior Director of McAfee Threat Research, where he leads a global team dedicated to threat intelligence, protection and innovative solutions - including cutting-edge applications of AI. With over 15 years in the security industry, Abhishek has delivered protection solutions for both large enterprises and individual users, earning him prestigious awards such as the Peter Szor and Intel Achievement Awards for his contributions in aiding law enforcement against cybercrime. Beyond his professional achievements, Abhishek is a firm believer in the power of empowerment as the ultimate form of philanthropy. He actively mentors aspiring cybersecurity professionals and holds the position of Vice President of Public Relations at a Toastmasters club. In his leisure time, he channels his passion for teamwork by coaching a girls' soccer team and, more recently, has taken up scuba diving. Abhishek holds a Master's degree from the University of Central Florida and is currently pursuing an executive leadership program at Stanford University. |
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