Cyberattacks continue to evolve and be more sophisticated. That means organizations' defenses must, too. Ransomware and extortion attacks continue to persist at a steady pace, making up 20% of Cisco Talos Incident Response engagements this year, according to the new Cisco Talos 2023 Year in Review report.
Talos also observed an increase in sophisticated attacks on networking devices this past year, particularly by state-sponsored actors. The increased speed and sophistication of malicious actors requires the adoption of machine scale defenses.
With that data in hand, Cisco, which works with more machine-driven telemetry and on a scale larger than most in the industry, recently made a big stride in the cybersecurity arms race with the unveiling of the Cisco AI Assistant for Security. This marks a step forward in Cisco's vision for Security Cloud, its unified, AI-driven platform designed to safeguard organizations against evolving cyber threats.
The Cisco AI Assistant for Security is more than just another security tool; it represents a shift in how organizations approach cybersecurity. Leveraging AI and machine learning, the assistant acts as a virtual security analyst, continuously monitoring networks, analyzing data and providing actionable insights to security teams.
The Cisco AI Assistant for Security boasts several key features that set it apart from the competition:
The assistant is trained on a large security-focused dataset, analyzing over 550 billion security events daily across web, email, endpoints, networks and applications. This vast repository of data enables the assistant to identify subtle anomalies and patterns that may be missed by traditional security tools.
The assistant utilizes advanced AI and ML algorithms to detect and prioritize threats in real-time. This includes identifying zero-day vulnerabilities, malware, and anomalous network activity, allowing security teams to focus their efforts on the most critical issues.
The assistant can automate routine tasks such as threat investigation, containment and remediation. This frees up valuable time for security analysts to focus on complex attacks and strategic initiatives.
Security teams can also interact with the assistant using natural language, making it easy to access information and insights without the need for specialized security expertise.
"With our extensive native telemetry, Cisco is uniquely positioned to deliver cybersecurity solutions that allow businesses to confidently operate at machine scale, augmenting what humans can do alone,” said Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Security and Collaboration at Cisco. “This advancement will help tip the scales in favor of defenders, empowering customers with AI built pervasively throughout the Cisco Security Cloud.”
The first iteration of the Cisco AI Assistant for Security will be integrated with Cisco's Cloud-delivered Firewall Management Center and Cisco Defense Orchestrator at no additional cost. This will empower firewall administrators to simplify policy management, accelerate troubleshooting and optimize security posture.
“The introduction of the AI Assistant to Cisco Firewall Management Center will help our customers quickly and easily configure policy changes,” said Graham Robinson, Chief Technology Officer, Data#3. “When combined with the new features in the 7.4.1 software release and the Encrypted Visibility Engine, this offers a truly compelling overall experience.”
Following the launch of the Cisco AI Assistant for Security, the company plans to expand the assistant's capabilities over time, integrating it with additional security products and services within the Security Cloud platform.
Hear more from Cisco and Brian Heikes, Director of Product Management, Webex Connect, Cisco, during his session at ITEXPO 2024, taking place February 13-15, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as part of the #TECHSUPERSHOW. Since 1999, ITEXPO has combined educational conference programming with a robust exhibit hall, networking events, and other activities, bringing together buyers and providers of business technology products and services that drive business success.
Edited by
Alex Passett
