Abdul Alim, a seasoned cybersecurity expert with over 20 years of experience, warns that the threat landscape has evolved dramatically in recent years. Among the threats, he calls out the growing complexity of cyberattacks, especially those fueled by artificial intelligence (AI). Alim emphasizes a crucial point: a well-educated workforce serves as the first line of defense against these ever-evolving threats.
In a threat environment where cybercriminals are always improving their ways of undermining security, Alim encourages organizations to be on the offensive when it comes to security. This means constantly diagnosing threats, retrofitting protections, and frequency scanning through penetration testing. He believes that such measures can help organizations stay ahead of cybercriminals who are continually innovating their strategies.
Alim’s lessons are born out of his lived experiences. In 2017, Sayeed came under a serious cyber-attack while consulting for a multinational pharmaceutical company in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Thanks to a defense-in-depth security architecture that featured firewalls and regular patch management, he was able to stop the attack. This experience shapes his advice to organizations wanting to improve their cybersecurity posture.
The Rise of AI-Powered Attacks
AI-powered cyberattacks, for instance, are becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent, Abdul Alim writes. When bad actors have access to these cutting-edge tools, they are able to more easily automate attacks and exploit vulnerabilities at scale. The emergence of “ransomware-as-a-service,” which can now be purchased on the dark web, is perhaps the best example of this phenomenon.
“It’s true that the threat of ransomware has only gotten more sophisticated,” Alim says. First and foremost, he stresses that organizations need to stay on their toes and be proactive in dealing with these new threats.
Alim notes it’s key to protect AI systems themselves. “AI-based solutions need to be safeguarded,” he warns. He is a fierce proponent of robust encryption technologies. He calls for robust identity access management (IAM) policies to protect AI infrastructure from adverse adversarial attacks.
A Focus on Education and Strategy
Education is a key factor in cybersecurity, for Alim. He’s adamant that all organizations need to equip their employees with the knowledge they need to spot and report threats before they happen. Social engineering attacks are the most escalated attack vector currently and the most advanced. Phishing emails and toxic web links are a killer scourge in our modern world today.
“Attackers may impersonate trusted colleagues or organizations, making it difficult to distinguish legitimate communication from a phishing attempt,” Alim explains. He urges companies to take employee training more seriously and make it a key piece of their broader cybersecurity strategy.
“Beyond training, he believes organizations should develop an all-encompassing data protection plan. When transmitting or storing data, especially sensitive data, it’s essential to encrypt it,” he advises. This method provides protection against unauthorized intrusion, while simultaneously editorializing organizations from risks of breaches.
The Importance of Privacy and Role-Based Access Control
As AI platforms are adopted and increasingly integrated into everyday operations, privacy concerns should be a top priority. “Some AI platforms collect and analyze personal data, which may then be exposed or misused,” Alim warns. Organizations should act to ensure that privacy is engrained into their services, enhancing trust with clients and stakeholders of all types.
To address security beyond that, Alim calls for the use of role-based access control (RBAC). “By implementing RBAC, you can ensure that employees have access to only the data and resources that are necessary for their specific tasks,” he notes. This reduces the chance of interference through unauthorized entry and other data breaches.
He wraps up with a call to action not just on government, but for those organizations that are still behind the curve on their security posture. “Some organizations still haven’t recognized the importance of separating these roles,” Alim emphasizes. It’s more important than ever for businesses of all sizes to recognize the need for strong cybersecurity protections in today’s online world.
