Darktrace Launches New Risk and Compliance Models to Address the Rising Threat of IP Loss and Data Leakage

Darktrace, a leading cyber AI company, has unveiled its latest risk and compliance models to assist its 8,400 customers worldwide in mitigating the growing risk of intellectual property (IP) loss and data leakage. These new models, designed for Darktrace DETECT™ and RESPOND™, enable customers to establish effective monitoring and response mechanisms for activities and connections related to generative AI and large language model (LLM) tools.

Darktrace’s AI has recently observed that 74% of its active customer deployments have employees using generative AI tools in the workplace. In a notable incident in May 2023, Darktrace successfully detected and thwarted the attempted upload of over 1GB of data to a generative AI tool at one of its client organizations.

While generative AI tools offer increased productivity and novel ways to enhance human creativity, chief information security officers (CISOs) face the challenge of balancing the adoption of these innovations with risk management. Various government agencies, including the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, have already issued guidance on the necessity of risk management when employing generative AI tools and other LLMs in the workplace. Additionally, regulators in different jurisdictions and sectors, such as the UK, EU, and US, are expected to provide guidelines to companies on maximizing the benefits of AI while mitigating potential risks.

Allan Jacobson, Vice President and Head of Information Technology at Orion Office REIT, emphasized the need for technology and clear guardrails in order to leverage the advantages of generative AI tools while addressing the associated risks. He stated, “Businesses need a combination of technology and clear guardrails to take advantage of the benefits while managing the potential risks.”

Darktrace’s Chief Executive Officer, Poppy Gustafsson, will participate in a fireside chat titled “Securing Our Future by Uplifting the Human” at London Tech Week. The interview, conducted by Guy Podjarny, CEO of Snyk, will focus on future-proofing organizations against cyber compromises and preparing teams to counter unpredictable threats.

Gustafsson highlighted the pressing concerns faced by CISOs worldwide regarding the management of risks and opportunities arising from publicly available AI tools. She emphasized that AI is rapidly becoming an integral part of everyday life, comparable to the internet or social media, and stressed the importance of individual enterprises determining their own appetite for risk and opportunity. Darktrace aims to provide personalized security solutions tailored to each organization’s requirements, and Gustafsson noted the early signs of CISOs leveraging Darktrace’s technology to enforce specific compliance policies.

Gustafsson further commented, “At Darktrace, we have long believed that AI is one of the most exciting technological opportunities of our time. With today’s announcement, we are providing our customers with the ability to quickly understand and control the use of these AI tools within their organizations. But it is not just the good guys watching these innovations with interest – AI is also a powerful tool to create even more nuanced and effective cyber-attacks.”

In addition to Darktrace’s core Self-Learning AI, which focuses on attack prevention, threat detection, autonomous response, and policy enforcement, the Darktrace Cyber AI Research Center continuously develops new AI models, including proprietary large language models, to assist customers in combating increasingly sophisticated threats. These models are integrated into Darktrace’s Cyber AI Loop™, which spans across the company’s product offerings.

Jack Stockdale, Chief Technology Officer at Darktrace, acknowledged the significance of recent advancements in generative AI and LLMs for enhancing cybersecurity. However, he emphasized the need for tailored application with appropriate guardrails based on specific use cases and challenges. Stockdale stated, “Over the last decade, the Darktrace Cyber AI Research Center has championed the responsible development and deployment of a variety of different AI techniques, including our unique Self-Learning AI and proprietary large language models. We’re excited to continue putting the latest innovations in the hands of our customers globally so that they can protect themselves against the cyber disruptions that continue to create chaos around the world.”