Enea Report Reveals Majority of Cybersecurity Professionals Believe Offensive AI Will Outpace Defensive AI

Enea announced that their report finds that 76% of cybersecurity professionals believe the world is very close to encountering malicious artificial intelligence that can bypass most known cybersecurity measures. More than a quarter (26%) see this happening within the next year, and 50% in the next 5 years. Phishing, social engineering tactics, and malware attacks are those most likely to become more dangerous with the use of AI. These are some of the sobering findings published in a new report by Enea and Cybersecurity Insiders. The report, “Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity” will be published on October 5th and the results of the survey on which the report is based will be discussed by AI specialists from Enea, Arista Networks, and Zscaler in a webinar presentation on the same day.

The report provides an in-depth, holistic view of how cybersecurity professionals see AI and its impact on the industry, including their anticipations, apprehensions, and various strategies for integrating AI into their network defenses. The results are complemented by insights and recommendations, established through collaboration with Enea analysts, on how to build the capabilities, confidence, and resilience required to counter the emerging use of AI to execute cyberattacks.

The report breaks down key survey findings into fears, hopes, and plans around AI/ML in cybersecurity:

Half (50%) of cybersecurity leaders report that their organization has "extensive knowledge" regarding AI/ML in cybersecurity, and another 19% report “moderate knowledge," with the remaining roughly one-third reporting no-to-minimal knowledge. When asked what steps organizations should take to prepare for sophisticated or overwhelming AI attacks, 68% cited increased cybersecurity training and awareness for employees.

Developing AI-specific incident response plans followed close behind (65%), and 61% said regular security assessments and audits. Over half of all respondents said that strengthening traditional security controls such as zero-trust protocols, multi-factor authentication, next-gen firewalls, and threat intelligence were key to preparing for sophisticated AI attacks.

"Understanding the profound impact of AI on cybersecurity is crucial for navigating the evolving threat landscape,” said Laura Wilber, Sr. Industry Analyst at Enea. “That begins by listening closely to the concerns and hopes of cybersecurity leaders and their teams on the front lines.”

“This report confirms growing concerns around the malicious use of AI, but it also highlights some remarkable innovations in the use of AI to streamline and automate defenses. Significant gains have already been made, such as a reduction in the average time it takes to detect and contain threats. However, AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution – it’s essential that businesses take a clear and methodical approach to implementing AI strategies in order to achieve maximum readiness and resilience. As we say at Enea – don’t be surprised, be ready.”

Source: Enea media announcement