Harnessing AI for data security

Zeki Turedi at CrowdStrike explains how organisations can harness the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning for proactive cyber-defence

 

As the modern cyber-threat landscape grows increasingly complex, so too do the demands placed on today’s security professionals. Adversaries are becoming faster — a point made strikingly clear by the fastest recorded eCrime breakout in 2024, which took just 51 seconds. They are also becoming more sophisticated, increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to operate with unprecedented speed, stealth, and scale.

 

Legacy technologies simply cannot keep pace. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems have long served as the backbone of cyber-security operations, offering a centralised view of threats across networks.

 

However, many of these legacy systems are now struggling under the weight of modern demands. The rate at which data is generated has exploded, creating sprawling data lakes far beyond the processing capabilities of yesterday’s SIEMs. The result? Detection and response efforts are hindered, allowing adversaries more time and space to cause damage.

 

Organisations are under pressure to level the playing field. This means embracing modern technologies — including AI and machine learning (ML) — to better detect, investigate, and ultimately prevent sophisticated cyber-attacks.

 

It is here, at the intersection of innovation and urgency, that the next generation of SIEM emerges as a critical enabler of modern cyber-defence.

 

The state of legacy SIEM

With breakout times now measured in seconds rather than minutes or hours, the ability to stop breaches hinges on whether security operations can match the velocity of adversaries. Unfortunately, legacy SIEMs are simply too slow and too complex to deliver the outcomes that modern organisations require.

 

Rather than empowering security teams, they often become data dumping grounds — vast repositories of information that force analysts to painstakingly sift through multiple data sources, interfaces, and consoles to uncover meaningful signals.

 

This phenomenon, often referred to as “swivel chair” syndrome, creates inefficiencies at every stage of the threat lifecycle. Security professionals are left pivoting between SIEM platforms, detection tools, response solutions, and orchestration technologies, trying desperately to connect the dots. In the meantime, attackers are already inside the environment, moving laterally or exfiltrating data.

 

Point products that position themselves as lightweight SIEM alternatives often promise more agility, but many fall short when it comes to delivering real-time search speeds, robust data visualisation, or deep investigative capabilities. These gaps ultimately impair the SOC’s ability to act quickly and with confidence.

 

The limitations of legacy SIEM systems are not just technical; they are human. When analysts are overwhelmed, forced to triage mountains of alerts, and left unsupported by their tools, the risk of burnout rises sharply. In this environment, detection delays and missed alerts are not just possible — they are inevitable.

 

The AI revolution

While legacy systems weigh security teams down, adversaries are racing ahead, increasingly weaponising cutting-edge technologies to scale their operations. But AI is not solely a tool for attackers. It also represents a transformative opportunity for defenders.

 

This shift is already underway. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of cyber-security professionals have either researched or purchased generative AI tools to augment their capabilities. The reason is clear: AI and ML, when properly integrated into next-generation SIEM systems, can help analysts surface what truly matters. Rather than drowning in data, SOC teams can focus their attention on meaningful signals and accelerate their response.

 

AI excels at filtering vast volumes of security telemetry, correlating seemingly disparate events, and surfacing anomalies that would otherwise go unnoticed. This level of contextual intelligence is invaluable. It enables SOC teams to prioritise high-risk incidents more effectively, reduce false positives, and gain a deeper understanding of adversary tactics.

 

This is especially critical in an era where attackers are operating with alarming sophistication. Take, for instance, SCATTERED SPIDER — an eCrime group known for executing complex cross-domain attacks — or FAMOUS CHOLLIMA, a nation-state actor conducting prolonged insider threat campaigns.

 

Combating such adversaries requires technology that can keep pace with their tactics, techniques, and procedures. AI gives defenders that edge.

 

Transforming the security analyst experience

While the technology itself is impressive, perhaps the most significant impact of AI is its ability to transform the experience of the people behind the screens: the security analysts.

 

For too long, SOC teams have been buried under an avalanche of alerts, bogged down by repetitive tasks and hampered by tool sprawl. Next-generation SIEM solutions that integrate AI and automation offer a path forward — one that empowers analysts rather than exhausting them.

 

These solutions offer comprehensive visibility into an organisation’s threat landscape, enabling continuous monitoring and early detection of malicious behaviour. More importantly, they reduce the cognitive burden on analysts. AI acts as a force multiplier, not a replacement — automating routine tasks, accelerating triage, and surfacing insights that would take hours (or even days) to uncover manually.

 

This human-machine partnership is key. Correlation rules and behavioural models built into modern SIEMs enhance the analyst’s ability to detect advanced threats, while still leaving critical decisions in human hands. The result is faster response times, more strategic thinking, and — crucially — improved job satisfaction.

 

Security teams are no longer forced to spend their days chasing false positives or performing the digital equivalent of looking for a needle in a haystack. Instead, they can focus on higher-order tasks: understanding adversary behaviour, hardening defences, and refining incident response plans.

 

This shift is not just operationally valuable — it’s essential for retaining talent in a field already stretched thin by skills shortages and burnout.

 

A new era of cyber-defence

The integration of AI and ML into SIEM represents more than a technological upgrade. It marks a fundamental shift in how organisations defend themselves against cyber-threats.

 

Modern SIEM solutions, powered by AI, do more than ingest and store data. They provide security teams with the ability to act — and to act fast. By cutting through noise, surfacing high-fidelity alerts, and reducing time to detect and respond, they allow defenders to regain the upper hand.

 

For organisations willing to embrace this evolution, the rewards extend far beyond enhanced security posture. They include greater agility, improved resilience, and most importantly, renewed confidence in the ability to navigate an increasingly hostile digital environment.

 

However, the journey to AI-driven defence is not a one-and-done implementation. It requires a thoughtful, phased approach. This includes continuously training ML models on up-to-date threat intelligence, ensuring seamless integration with existing workflows, and upskilling SOC teams to work effectively alongside AI-powered tools.

 

Success lies not in replacing humans, but in enabling them to operate at their full potential.

 

The way forward

Ultimately, the future of cyber-defence belongs to those who can act faster, smarter, and more proactively. In this regard, AI is not just another tool in the belt — it is a strategic partner. By empowering security professionals, streamlining operations, and reducing the noise that clouds decision-making, AI is reshaping the SOC into a more agile, effective, and human-centric function.

 

Cyber-security will always be a high-stakes game. But with the right technologies in place — and the right people empowered to use them — the odds no longer need to favour the adversary.

 

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Zeki Turedi is Field CTO, EMEA at CrowdStrike

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and Thinkhubstudio