AI-Powered Ransomware Defense: Real-Time Detection and Mitigation

Chongwei Chen is the President & CEO of DataNumen, a global leader in data recovery with specialized Outlook repair solutions, empowering organizations to safeguard their most valuable emails.

AI-Powered Ransomware Defense: Real-Time Detection and Mitigation

As the world of technology and software evolves, so do cyber threats. As a result, companies and people in general need to look to implement new strategies on a regular basis when it comes to protecting their data and systems from ransomware attacks.

How AI helps to combat ransomware attacks

AI has given us new ways of identifying threats in real-time. It is able to examine big volumes of data to find trails of information which could suggest a cyberattack. AI systems may monitor data and system logs and pick up inaccuracies which may be missed by a human. There are various things that contribute to human error such as a lapse in concentration, lack of sleep, forgetfulness, stress or just having a bad day. AI is not impacted by the things that make us human.

Generative AI

Generative AI is able to help by creating artificial situations in order to develop data which can help to develop and train anti-malware software. By simulating attack scenarios, generative AI can help to ensure that software and machines are more ready when they have to actually deal with a ransomware attack.

The simulations also help systems to identify and rectify any vulnerabilities before they can become real-life problematic situations.

When a real problem occurs, one of the big benefits of generative AI is that it significantly decreases the time required to find a solution. While human intervention is still needed, generative AI assists in mitigating basic errors and can also enhance the solution process by delivering information in real-time.

Deep Learning

With AI and anti-cyberattack software becoming more refined, so too is the sophistication of ransomware attacks. These days, online criminals can target unsuspecting citizens by doing background research on them and making it hard to decipher that they are criminals. By becoming familiar with user habits, interests, email content and financial interests, deep learning models can help to protect a user from a ransomware attack.

For example, while a user may think a file looks legitimate at first glance, AI will through deep learning scan file structures and headers for malicious traits. It also monitors runtime behavior in sandboxed environments such as API calls to encrypt files.

Natural Language Processing (NLP) analyzes phishing emails to block ransomware delivery.

Ransomware prevention tactics used by AI

In addition to fighting against ransomware attacks, AI can also be used to prevent such attacks before they happen. One way is through ethical deception technology created by AI. This helps by creating fake credentials and decoy files in order to mislead ransomware criminals and prevent them from getting access to systems. This keeps data safe and also helps gain data on methods and software used by criminals. The data in turn can be used to train AI and software to fight against ransomware attacks.

AI also strengthens zero trust models. These are common security protocols used today for sensitive data such as banking information and sensitive family information which is usually only granted to one or two individuals. When AI spots unusual behavior such as an attempt to access from a new and unfamiliar location and or multiple unusual login attempts, it can revoke permission to access and or alert the owner to change their password. This can help to prevent future ransomware attacks and alert the owner to their sensitive information possibly being compromised.

Ransomware negotiation

This is a controversial area but AI can sometimes help when it comes to negotiation with criminals. While it is not advised by many and individuals are encouraged to consult law enforcement when they are the victims of ransomware attacks, there are times in which businesses may feel that they have to engage with the criminal and possibly pay them a fee in order to reduce inconvenience caused.

Humans tend to act on emotion in high pressure situations and may sometimes make an emotionally charged and irrational decision in high-pressure situations, AI can help to mediate such a situation as it is free of strong emotions and can sometimes suggest a logical solution.

By mediating in these situations between a criminal and a user, AI can also reach a compromise and lower the actual fee that was demanded. It can also buy time as the company focuses on efforts to recover encrypted files or on finding a negotiated compromise.

AI and humans will collaborate in the future

While the future of AI has exciting possibilities, there will still be a need for human intervention going forward. AI still needs humans to gauge if it is doing the right thing and to teach it new information. Right now, AI's ability to fight against ransomware attacks is not something that any business can ignore. It must also be remembered that the technology is not perfect. It has come a long way but so too are the strategies used by criminals. A business must always be aware of the deceptive methods used by criminals for ransomware attacks and then adjust accordingly.