Large-scale cyber-attacks on the world’s biggest companies are fixtures in the news cycle. Attacks are now commonplace, with almost half of UK businesses being attacked just last year.  These statistics bring email security future into focus.

Not only are attacks becoming more common, but they are also becoming more intelligent.

Attackers are prepared to spend months learning weaknesses in an organization. For example, a report recently confirmed that the most common email cyber-attack doesn’t involve traditional hacking.

Instead, attackers are more likely to try and trick employees into handing over access. These tricks are known as phishing, and they can be dire for businesses.

There’s the clear financial burden of losing money to scammers, but businesses also put themselves at risk depending on how they hold personal data.

Big Data is a currency and has made companies like Facebook global giants. So it’s naturally a prime target for cyber attackers.

Under GDPR, there are legal consequences if this data is compromised. This means all companies must have robust cyber security measures.

So, how do security platforms need to adapt?

As cyber-attacks become more competent, so too must cyber security services. However, traditional email gateways are still needed in the fight against cyber-crime and will be in the future. They’re the first line of defense against attack. They stop malicious emails from breaching your systems.

But they can’t protect businesses from attackers who don’t look like attackers. Those people will find an email address online and imitate it before chipping away at people in different companies until someone lets their guard down.

Security Awareness Training is also crucial. Employees need to be up to date on spot phishing attacks and how to report them to their IT departments. In addition, employees and employers must train people to protect sensitive information. But even with the best security training globally, everyone will be a cyber security expert. There will still be gaps in the armor.

Artificial Intelligence and cyber security

Looking to the future then, its clepe of security will be needed. It will need to fill in the gaps which allow attackers to exploit both human error and security technologies.

This is where artificial intelligence and machine learning comes in.

Big Data could change from being the target of cybercriminals to becoming one of the best ways for organizations to protect themselves.

Big Data can reveal patterns and trends, which can help predict criminal activity. In addition, AI systems powered by Big Data will supplement traditional cyber security platforms. This will limit the ability of cybercriminals to breach systems.

How Artificial Intelligence is helping businesses today

This is not a distant future. AI is assisting companies in achieving greater security today.

Products such as IRONSCALES use AI systems to monitor email. If their algorithms detect phishing activity, they can pull emails out of an inbox without delay. This stops cybercrime before it can take place.

This tech may not be perfect yet, but IRONSCALES is a real-world, working example of how AI will increase cyber security by boosting traditional cyber security networks. In addition, it demonstrates why businesses need multi-layered solutions to be fully protected from threats.

The security battleground of the future

This technology will grow more efficient as AI matures. For example, Google’s new service Chronicle, announced in January 2018, promises to increase security efficiency 10x with AI helping to stop threats.

But of course, as AI technology for cyber security improves comes the ability of cybercriminals to use AI to try and break into systems.

Speaking to Future of Everything, Avast CTO Ondrej Vlcek argues that in 10-15 years, cyber security will resemble a ‘war of the machines.‘ He sees the future battleground of cyber security as AI systems used for security purposes and for automating cyber attacks.

Of course, making predictions of technology is never easy, and much could change. But AI will be a big part of email security’s future and cyber security and a way for businesses to protect their employees and customers from attacks.