Date of Award

8-2024

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Science in Information Systems and Technology

Department

Information and Decision Sciences

First Reader/Committee Chair

Dr. Conrad Shayo

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This project used a case study research strategy to investigate the impact of AI-driven cybersecurity threats on organizations. The research questions are: Q1: How can different types of organizations improve their defenses against AI-driven cybersecurity attacks? Q2: How will future hackers most likely access AI tools, and what AI tools will they use? Q3: What strategies can organizations implement to enhance resilience against phishing emails? Three Case Studies were selected and analyzed to answer the three research questions. The findings are Q1: AI-driven cyberattacks pose significant risks, but organizations can improve defenses by investing in AI technologies like Vectra Cognito and AWS integration for real-time threat monitoring and response in networking organizations and IT industries using Open AI. Q2: Future hackers will likely use Generative AI tools like HackerGPT for sophisticated attacks, including realistic phishing emails and botnet creation. These tools streamline cyberattacks but have limitations like potential misdiagnosis of vulnerabilities. Q3: AI-driven email security solutions like Barracuda Essentials and Sentinel effectively combat phishing by providing multi-layered protection and predictive analysis to prevent attacks with three tiers of security blocking all incoming messages and scanning, eliminating all the potentially dangerous threats. This reduces the company's susceptibility to email-based phishing schemes and other cyberattacks. The conclusions are Q1: Creating successful defense measures requires an understanding of AI-driven cyber threats. Using AI technology helps reduce risks and guarantee company continuity. Q2: AI tools will probably be used maliciously by future hackers, thus creating strong defenses is essential. Q3: To reduce the risks associated with phishing attacks and increase resilience through multi-layered security and education, it is imperative to combine advanced email security solutions with employee training. Future scope: Q1: Research in the future should assess AI-driven defense mechanisms and how new AI technologies affect cybersecurity tactics. Q2: Research ought to create defenses against AI tools and evaluate the impact of self-governing AI systems on cybersecurity threats. Q3: To improve phishing resilience, novel approaches to phishing prevention, like behavioral analytics and natural language processing, should be investigated.

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