GenAI raises security concerns for APAC organisations

The adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region is raising significant security concerns among organisations, as per new findings from a Forrester Consulting study conducted on behalf of Tenable. The study indicates that 41% of APAC organisations perceive GenAI primarily as a security threat rather than an opportunity. Additionally, more than half (51%) believe that GenAI will enhance the sophistication of phishing attacks.

Concerns regarding the misuse of GenAI are notably pronounced in the APAC region, with 56% of respondents expressing such concerns. This figure is higher compared to the global average of 50%. Moreover, a significant portion of APAC organisations (35%) agree that GenAI has the potential to significantly expand their attack surface, a sentiment shared by 32% of respondents globally.

The study, titled "How to Discover, Analyze and Respond to Threats Faster with Generative AI," was commissioned in October 2023 by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Tenable. It surveyed 826 IT and cybersecurity leaders globally, including 207 participants from the APAC region.

Despite the elevated security concerns, the study revealed that only 10% of APAC respondents were extremely confident in their organisation’s ability to leverage GenAI to improve cybersecurity. This level of confidence is the lowest among respondents from other regions, with a global average of 17%, highlighting the broader challenges APAC firms face in the effective implementation and governance of AI technologies.

However, APAC organisations are actively pursuing AI for various cybersecurity functions despite the confidence gaps. The study identifies the top three current applications of AI in the region: cybersecurity training and upskilling (51%), automated threat detection (47%), and automated reporting/alerting (48%). These applications reflect the region's strategic approach to addressing skill shortages and meeting operational demands through AI.

"The integration of GenAI into cybersecurity is both inevitable and transformative. While GenAI distills insights from vulnerability management, cloud security, web application, and identity exposures, enabling organisations to comprehend their risk from the perspective of an attacker, it also introduces new complexities and risks that organisations must manage diligently. By leveraging GenAI for threat detection and automated responses, security teams can create a more resilient cybersecurity infrastructure that is better equipped to handle the evolving threat landscape," stated Nigel Ng, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific and Japan at Tenable.

Ng further emphasised the need for a balanced approach to navigating the dual realities presented by GenAI. “To navigate this dual reality, organisations need to adopt a balanced approach. This involves not only implementing GenAI-driven solutions but also ensuring robust governance and continuous monitoring. With a thoughtful and proactive strategy, we can harness GenAI's full potential to protect our digital assets and ensure long-term security,” Ng added.