Is your data safe in a world where your users use AI everyday?
In a not so surprising report by Varonis, titled "State of Data Security Report: Quantifying AI's Impact on Data Risk," they shine a light on the challenge of AI and data protection…a ticking time bomb ready to explode.
Based on an analysis of 1,000 real-world IT environments, it reveals a startling truth: a staggering 99% of organizations have exposed sensitive data that is easily accessible to AI. Imagine AI as a "hungry Pac-Man," tirelessly scanning and analysing all available data. This relentless data ingestion, while beneficial for AI's learning capabilities, significantly increases the risk of critical information being surfaced where it absolutely shouldn't be.
Beyond AI: Other Alarming Vulnerabilities
While AI presents a new frontier of data risk, the Varonis report also highlights other persistent threats contributing to data breaches:
Cloud Complexities: The intricate nature of cloud environments often leads to misconfigurations and vulnerabilities. The report found that 90% of sensitive cloud data, including crucial AI training data, is openly accessible to AI tools.
Unsanctioned Applications: The proliferation of unsanctioned applications, including "shadow AI" tools, within organizational environments creates significant blind spots. A concerning 98% of organizations were found to have unverified apps.
Missing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Despite its proven effectiveness, one in seven organizations still do not enforce MFA across their SaaS and multi-cloud environments, leaving a wide-open door for unauthorized access.
Inactive "Ghost Users": An alarming 88% of organizations have inactive user accounts within their systems, which can be exploited by malicious actors.
Proactive Steps to Defuse the Data Breach Time Bomb
The good news is that organizations can take proactive measures to secure their data in the age of AI. The Varonis report outlines three key steps:
Reduce the "Blast Radius": Minimize the potential impact of a data breach by implementing strict access controls and ensuring that sensitive data is only accessible to those who absolutely need it.
Continuous Monitoring and Automated Governance: Continuously monitor data access and usage, and automate access governance to identify and remediate potential risks in real-time.
Leverage AI and Automation for Remediation: Paradoxically, AI can also be a powerful ally in data security. Utilize AI-powered tools and automation to identify vulnerabilities and rapidly remediate security issues.
As AI continues to evolve and integrate deeper into our digital infrastructure, prioritizing data protection and implementing robust security measures is not just advisable, but absolutely essential. By taking these proactive steps, organizations can significantly reduce their risk and avoid becoming another data breach statistic.
Utilising Data Loss Protection techniques can enable organisations to allow access to AI and the benefits, but provide protection from sensitive data from being unwittingly exposed and injested by AI models.
