UK Firms Face Rising Threats from AI-Driven Cyber Attacks

IBM's latest research reveals that over one-fifth of UK firms have experienced an AI-related security breach in the last year. The firm's study found that AI-driven cyber attacks surged by 56% during this period, prompting calls for enterprises to sharpen their defenses.

The costs associated with these breaches are 'fundamentally changing the economics of cyber risk', according to IBM, with the financial impact now standing at an average of $6 million. Cyber criminals are increasingly focusing on targeting AI systems and leveraging the technology to wage more devastating attacks.

The study noted that 20% of organisations reported a breach where threat actors specifically targeted AI models or applications. Weaknesses in surrounding systems, such as compromised APIs or plug-ins, and cloud misconfigurations were the most frequent targets, cited by 27% of respondents each.

Mark Hughes, global managing partner for IBM's Cybersecurity Services division, warned that 'AI has dramatically lowered the barrier for cybercriminals. Attackers can now execute attacks in minutes rather than days with advanced frontier models.'