How to enable secure use of AI

Sponsored Post It's Cybersecurity Awareness Month again this October - a timely reminder for public and private sector organisations to work together and raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity.

And what many of us might not be aware of is how increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in all its various forms can pose a risk to sensitive data. The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) offers some good advice on the source of potential vulnerabilities. But what organisations might really need are practical tips on how they can make the best use of AI without introducing any additional threats into the equation.

That's what SANS is aiming to deliver with its SANS AI Toolkit, a package of free resources which will be released on conjunction with Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October. It classifies AI users into one of three categories – Trailblazer, Sceptic or Pragmatist – according to their access to AI tools and whether or not they are using them with or without management approval. That's important when you consider the growing number of free AI tools like Chat GPT which are now available, and that AI is often injected into third party products and services in a way which end users can easily fail to recognise or understand.

The toolkit includes a readymade Acceptable Use Policy designed to make sure employees are aware of the approved use of AI tools within the organisation, while aligning its usage with any required company values and goals. It also comes with a number of factsheets covering multiple topics, ranging from Understanding how Generative AI works, to Effective Prompt Engineering, and more. In addition, it contains guidance compiled to help each individual end user identify how and where they already use AI in its many different forms, and how they can elicit maximum value from the AI tools at their disposal.

You can learn more about Cybersecurity Awareness Month and download the SANs AI Toolkit by clicking this link.

Sponsored by SANS.