UK’s NCSC chief warns frontier AI will speed up cybersecurity threats
The UK’s NCSC says frontier AI will make vulnerabilities easier to find and exploit, raising cyber security pressure.
Dr Richard Horne, chief executive of the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said advances in frontier AI models will make it easier, faster, and cheaper to find and exploit software vulnerabilities, increasing pressure on organisations to strengthen their security baseline.
In a piece published on the NCSC website, Horne said the longer-term effect of AI-assisted vulnerability discovery could be positive if technology suppliers use such tools to identify and fix weaknesses across the lifecycle of products and services. He also warned that the path to that outcome brings immediate risks and requires urgent action.
Horne said organisations that have not taken appropriate steps to safeguard their systems will increasingly be exposed as AI lowers the time, skill, and resources needed to identify exploitable weaknesses. He added that pressure to apply security patches quickly will become more acute as these capabilities develop.
Horne added that said organisations should follow established NCSC guidance, including reducing unnecessary exposure to attack, applying security updates rapidly, and monitoring for and responding quickly to malicious activity.
Horne also said these measures must be championed by leaders and boards, describing cyber risk as business risk. He added that government-backed schemes such as Cyber Essentials can help organisations and their customers gain confidence that core security practices are being followed.
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