Microsoft released a Cyber Security Awareness Guide, Becoming Cybersmart, to help organizations understand what they can do to help keep themselves and their employees safe online. The guide is organized as follows:
- AI Safety
- Cybersecurity 101
- Devices
- Fraud
- Phishing
- Passwords
Artificial Intelligence Risks
Today, I am focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety. It is a hot topic and one that offers new opportunities for business productivity and personal fulfillment. Artificial Intelligence also has risks. These risks are:
Overreliance
Accepting AI output as if it is authoritative. Artificial Intelligence is not a search engine. It sometimes creates output based on information that may not be factual.
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- Research the source of the information.
- Validate accuracy with independent sources.
- Check that the references listed in copilot say what you think they say. Confirm the output is correct.
Impersonation
Pretending to be someone else hoping to trick you into giving up money or personal information.
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- Always verify who is communicating with you.
- Setup code words with family or friends as a second factor of authentication
- Do not overshare online. Social engineers will use personal details to hook you.
Social Manipulation
Bad Actors can create content and swarms of fake users across social and traditional media to influence viewers. This tactic is used for everything from fraud and industrial espionage to cyber influence operations.
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- Be critical of things you read on social media, verify the source, and be wary of content posted by people you do not know.
- Be suspicious if it seems like “everyone agrees” with an idea or if there’s a sudden public consensus about something. Bad actors use amplification and an appearance of trustworthiness to make content seem factual.
- Be on extra alert when strangers approach you online. Most fraud and influence operations start with a social media reply or a “wrong number” message.
Ensuring Safe and Effective AI Use for Your Business
When choosing AI, use tools considered safe by your organization’s IT or security team and adhere to all policies. Protect sensitive data from AI use with labels and encryption so it does not get exfiltrated and make its way to the bad actors or available through the public domain. AI works best and most accurately when prompted for smaller tasks. Artificial intelligence is not going away anytime soon. Contact ION Technology Group today at 1.856.719.1818 to learn more about Microsoft’s “Becoming Cybersmart” and to schedule your annual security training.
