Accenture expands Gen AI-powered cybersecurity services and capabilities to accelerate clients resilience and reinvention
Cybercriminals are increasingly using gen AI and dark large language models (LLMs) to launch new types of cyberattacks. In fact, Accenture’s cyber intelligence (ACI) researchers have observed a 223% surge in deepfake-related tool trading on dark web forums in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.
Accenture (NYSE:ACN) today announced new services and capabilities designed to reinvent business and cyber resilience through the power of gen AI, deepfake protection and quantum-safe data security solutions to help clients across industries become cyber-resilient organizations.
Cybercriminals are increasingly using gen AI and dark large language models (LLMs) to launch new types of cyberattacks. In fact, Accenture’s cyber intelligence (ACI) researchers have observed a 223% surge in deepfake-related tool trading on dark web forums in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. The ACI team expects a significant rise in AI-driven cyberattacks, a warning signal that organizations need to adopt advanced AI-based cybersecurity measures that detect, respond to, predict and prevent threats in real-time.
“Modern cybersecurity protects across the entire business—from the digital core to the supply chain—and draws on gen AI-powered and quantum-proof protections, which are vital as cybercriminals ramp up new kinds of attacks using advanced AI technologies,” said Julie Sweet, chair and CEO, Accenture. “Our new cybersecurity services and centers help our clients use the latest technologies to safeguard their critical assets and increase their resilience, so they can reinvent with confidence and create more value faster.”
New Cybersecurity Services
According to Gartner® concern about AI-enhanced malicious attacks again topped Gartner, Inc.’s emerging risk rankings in the second quarter of 2024. To help clients safely adopt emerging technologies while simultaneously tackling evolving threats, Accenture is introducing new services, which it also employs to protect its business operations. Some of these include:
⦁ Secure AI Solutions establishes resilience throughout an organization’s entire AI program lifecycle, including best practices for developing frameworks; policies and processes to ensure secure AI practices; capabilities to assess and protect access, data, models, infrastructure and building trust-by-design in AI systems. It also incorporates red-teaming and adversarial simulations that help find vulnerabilities in AI systems, including LLMs and a Gen AI Security Diagnostic to detect and secure unauthorized AI deployments.
⦁ Deepfake Protection includes security testing, monitoring and detection of deepfakes powered by key partners’ technologies such as ⦁ Reality Defender to stay ahead of evolving AI threats that are impacting customer contact centers, business videoconferences and other critical points of communication.
⦁ Business Cyber Crisis Recovery a cloud-based solution enables C-suite leaders across industries such as healthcare, telecommunications and oil & gas to quickly restore essential infrastructure and significantly reduce the downtime impacts associated with recovering from a cyberattack. As a result, essential operations can be restored in hours rather than weeks.
⦁ Quantum Security Suite of services for building robust strategies, discovering vulnerable encryption throughout an enterprise and replacing outdated technology by leveraging the latest quantum-safe algorithms recommended by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology and orchestrating their use securely and efficiently
Core Cybersecurity Services – Newly Powered by Gen AI
Many organizations (86%) are either actively or planning to consolidate their tools as a means to streamline their cybersecurity operations . In response, Accenture is powering its core cybersecurity offerings with the Accenture mySecurity a centralized suite of assets that integrates gen AI into all cyber-resilience services across supply chain, cloud, application, cyber resilience and identity and access management to drive speed, efficiency and help clients protect against AI-driven threats. These include:
For example, Accenture is actively working to shield nations from cyberattacks and is helping the Kuwait Government Central Agency for Information Technology to strengthen their cybersecurity infrastructure through the establishment and management of a National Security Operations Center. This collaborative effort aims to enhance visibility, detection and remediation capabilities against evolving cyber threats. The project will be supported by Accenture's global network of Cyber Future Centers supported by a 24/7 local team focused on protecting the nation's most critical organizations leveraging the benefits of gen AI.
New Cyber Future Centers
Additionally, delivering these new cybersecurity services Accenture will expand its global network of advanced cybersecurity facilities with new Cyber Future Centers powered by emerging technologies. The new locations include a flagship gen AI Security studio in Brussels and a studio in Washington, D.C.; a Quantum Security Center and Lab and a Cyber Physical Security center in Bengaluru; and a Sovereignty Hub in Malaga. With these new centers powered by gen AI and quantum security solutions, Accenture’s cybersecurity facilities currently span more than 40 locations across 22 countries.
In 2024, the number of Accenture's cybersecurity professionals grew by more than 30% to more than 25,000 people. Since 2015, Accenture has made 19 security acquisitions, including most recently strengthening its managed security services capabilities in Europe and Mexico with the acquisition of Innotec Security and Mnemo Mexico, respectively. Additionally, Accenture has invested in 13 cybersecurity, space and quantum security companies, including SpiderOak and Aliro Quantum.
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “aspires,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook,” “goal,” “target” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance nor promises that goals or targets will be met, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied.
These risks include, without limitation, that Accenture faces legal, reputational and financial risks from any failure to protect client and/or company data from security incidents or cyberattacks, and risks and uncertainties related to the development and use of AI could harm our business, damage our reputation or give rise to legal or regulatory action, as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture’s expectations.
Gartner Press Release, “Gartner Survey Shows Rising Concern of AI-Enhanced Malicious Attacks as Top Emerging Risk for Enterprises for Second Consecutive Quarter”, 30 July 2024. https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-07-30-gartner-survey-shows-rising-concern-of-ai-enhanced-malicious-attacks-as. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.