https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501 Application
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501 Application
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Digital Service Providers
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • CHANNEL PARTNERS ONLINE
 Channel Futures

MSSP Insider


Shutterstock

Artificial Intelligence

Performance Review: AI in Cybersecurity

  • Written by Pam Baker
  • May 1, 2019
AI is the latest rage in cybersecurity, but is it living up to expectations?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all the rage in cybersecurity software. However, when vendors say AI, they usually mean a subset of it. Most commonly they mean machine learning (ML), but sometimes it’s deep learning (DL). The details are confusing, so the marketing folks just call it all AI and leave the inner technical workings shrouded in mystery. But now it’s time to evaluate whether “AI” in cybersecurity is meeting expectations and living up to the marketing buzz.

In order to know whether AI is living up to expectations and delivering the goods as ordered, it’s important to check first and see what you actually have under the hood.

What the Tech Is That?

Carbon Black's Rick McElroy

Carbon Black’s Rick McElroy

“Conceptually, AI is a very sexy topic but the reality is that very little AI is present in most security applications,” says Rick McElroy, head of security strategy at Carbon Black. “Simply rebranding machine learning as AI doesn’t solve the shortcomings of the existing technology.”

Unfortunately, some claims of “AI inside” are more than a rebranding effort and more than a tad misleading.

“As an investor I see this kind of behavior all the time — early-stage companies claim to have AI, but basic diligence proves that to be false. Yet, they’re still able to raise huge amounts of venture capital. A recent VC study (page 99) found that 40% of startups that claimed to have AI were lying,” said William Peteroy, Security CTO at Gigamon, a provider of network security.

The confusion and downright subterfuge of some vendors are off-putting to many buyers and users.

“I’m most excited by some of the newer approaches that are more transparent about how they leverage expert systems which I feel have a stronger probability of driving good outcomes for consumers than machine learning-based approaches,” Peteroy added.

But there is nothing to be gained by judging the real thing by its counterfeits. If you’re not seeing good results from your AI- or ML-based software, perhaps you should first check to see if you bought the actual thing or a pricey knock-off.

“Machine learning/AI technologies have been influencing information security for a long time. Spam detection or preventing fraudulent transactions are just two of many examples of successful AI applications in security,” says Leigh-Anne Galloway, cybersecurity resilience lead at Positive Technologies.

“Statistical learning and ML models are becoming the cornerstone of a wide range of new security products like next-generation antivirus (NGAV) or next-generation firewall (NGFW) products. The main reason for this is that there is no shortage of data to learn from and statistical models have become tremendously good at learning,” Galloway added.

Remember in your evaluations that not all AI/ML is created alike. Some is brand-new, and some is not. However, the only thing that matters is if it works.

“What we are calling AI today in most solutions is machine learning algorithms invented years ago, and commercially viable today because of the compute resources available now.  There is still a large amount of algorithmic innovation to come,” says Rick Grinnell, Founder and Managing Partner at Glasswing Ventures.

Pros

Looking forward to future innovations doesn’t mean that AI and ML are impotent in the present. Indeed, their applications are …

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
Tags: MSPs Artificial Intelligence Business of Security MSSP Insider Network Training and Policies

Related


  • Hottest Ticket in Town
    Channel Partners Virtual 2021 Is the Hottest Ticket in Town
    And that means any town, since it’s 100% online. Will you be there?
  • Threat protection
    Critical Threat Protection Steps MSSPs, Other Partners Must Take Now
    In this second installment in our series on threat protection, vendors discuss what partners have to do this year.
  • Partner Program Update
    Palo Alto Networks Rolls Out Latest NextWave Partner Program
    NextWave 3.0 will help partners differentiate their services.
  • Accelerate
    OneLogin Hires Juniper Networks Vet to Lead Accelerate Partner Program
    OneLogin last fall expanded its Accelerate partner program to include partner tiering.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Kaspersky Research: Russia Now No. 1 Global Source of Spam
  • Law Firm Cyberattack Exposes Tens of Thousands of Patient Records
  • 2021 Channel Influencer Awards
  • Avoiding the Great Waste: Connecting Unstructured Data to AI, Analytics via the Cloud

Galleries

View all

From The Second City: How to Use Improv as a Business Tool

March 3, 2021

Industry Perspectives

View all

5 Ways XDR Can Improve Operational Efficiency for MSPs

March 4, 2021

Multi-Cloud: Strategy or Inevitable Outcome? (or both?)

March 3, 2021

Backup Vulnerability: 4 Targets Hackers Might Utilize to Infiltrate Your Backup Solution

March 2, 2021

Webinars

View all

A Partner’s Perspective on Channel Success in 2021

March 23, 2021

XDR and Why it Matters to MSPs

March 24, 2021

Top Security Trends Impacting Technology Security Providers In 2021

March 25, 2021
  • 1

White Papers

View all

Why Fortinet for my MSSP?

March 2, 2021

Small and Mid-Size Business Security: 4 Steps to Success

March 2, 2021

How SMBs Can Secure Endpoints and Remote Workers for the Long Haul

March 2, 2021

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

November 1, 2021 - November 4, 2021

Videos and Fastchats

View all

FASTCHAT: How SOAR Eliminates Security Challenges and Elevates Service Provider Revenues

January 6, 2021

Happy Holidays from Channel Partners & Channel Futures!

December 21, 2020

FASTCHAT: How Old, Unpatched Technologies Are Creating New Security Threats for MSPs and Their Customers

December 3, 2020

Twitter

ChannelFutures

Chinese hacker group #HAFNIUM exploits critical @MSFTExchange Server vulnerability, could impact thousands.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 7, 2021
ChannelFutures

Our latest #Cybersecurity Roundup highlights #CPVirtual, @Huntresslabs, @Entrust_Corp and @InsightEnt.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 5, 2021
ChannelFutures

RT @Channel_Expo: A HUGE thank you to our amazing #CPVirtual sponsors and exhibitors! 👏 @ATTBusiness @DellTech @8x8 @lumentechco @telarus @…

March 5, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@okta acquiring rival @auth0 in $6.5 billion all-stock transaction. #security dlvr.it/Rtzwdp https://t.co/4LvHCJuwsR

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@MicrosoftTeams features are coming to @MSFTDynamics365, the company announced at @MS_Ignite. #MicrosoftIgnite… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@PreciselyData acquired by Clearlake Capital, @TAAssociates. #digitaltransformation dlvr.it/RtzbKg https://t.co/1rNYnTScxq

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

Thanks for attending #CPVirtual. Here's a Day 3 wrap and a look ahead to #CPExpo Homecoming in November!… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@Veeam announces six annual Impact Partner Awards, with @SHI_Intl, @LogicalisUS, more. #cloud… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021

MSSP Insider

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Channel Partners Online

Want more? Find more channel news and analysis on our sister site, Channel Partners.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Online
  • Channel Partners Events
  • MSP 501
  • MSSP Insider
  • IoT World Today
  • Webhostingtalk

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X