TALKING

Perhaps most importantly of all , this brings with it a far greater surface area for cyber attackers to exploit . When combined with the massive increase in data volumes , data security must be a priority . Depending on the application , GenAI models often deal with sensitive and personal information , making them prime targets for cyberattacks . Ensuring the confidentiality , integrity and availability of data is paramount .

In a recent survey , more than half of cloud decision makers identified the security of AI models as a primary concern , second only to the cost of implementation . To address this , enterprise leaders expect to increase spending on security by 44 % over the next few years as they scale deployments .

The foundation of application security lies in secure development practices . Implementing secure coding guidelines and conducting regular security training for development teams can help mitigate the risk of introducing vulnerabilities during the development process .

Before deploying GenAI applications , organisations should conduct thorough threat modelling and risk assessments . By understanding the specific risks , organisations can tailor security strategies to address the most critical vulnerabilities .

Given GenAI ’ s dynamic nature , continuous monitoring is essential to detect and respond to security incidents in real time . Organisations should deploy advanced monitoring tools that can identify unusual patterns of behaviour , potential breaches , and other security anomalies . Coupled with a robust incident response plan , this enables organisations to quickly contain , remediate , and minimise potential damage .

Data governance and privacy is one of the most important areas of security in the context of GenAI . Organisations must establish clear policies and procedures for data handling , ensuring compliance with relevant regulations . And importantly , those procedures must be simple to update as the legislative landscape is quickly evolving . This includes obtaining proper consent for data collection and ensuring that data is used only for its intended purpose .

As more and more organisations build out their GenAI capabilities , application security must be viewed as a fundamental pillar of the strategy . The unique nature of GenAI models , which continuously learn and adapt , presents distinct security challenges that require specialised solutions – it ’ s not a one-size-fits-all .

The tech industry is prone to buzz and hype , but AI is no ‘ flavour of the month ’. If Australia is to continue to gain ground in the global AI race , application security must be step one , because this one is here to stay . p

38 INTELLIGENTCIO APAC www . intelligentcio . com