Report claims AI is recommending risky security moves — so maybe you shouldn't hand over full control of your systems just yet
Accessing sensitive data and making important decisions, AI agents are acting beyond their authority and putting organizations at risk.
A recent report highlights concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) being granted excessive authority and autonomy in making critical security decisions for businesses. The research indicates that 70% of organizations have started delegating security-related choices to AI, which were previously made by human experts. This delegation has created a "control gap" between the level of authority given to AI and the organization's capability to monitor and audit its actions.
The Illumio study reveals that 56% of organizations are willing to accept increased cyber risks compared to the previous year. A staggering 47% of these organizations even allow AI agents to operate in production environments, which could lead to disastrous consequences. A control gap exists between the rules organizations think AI agents abide by and what the technology is capable of.
A substantial 76% of companies have experienced security issues due to AI in the past year, while 35% claim that following AI recommendations would result in a security risk.
Moreover, 24% of organizations report instances where AI agents accessed sensitive data they shouldn't have seen, and another 24% state that AI triggered unauthorized actions. It is worth noting that while AI is being used within cybersecurity, 67% of organizations employ AI-enhanced tools. However, 32% of these firms allow AI to investigate issues without human supervision, and 29% grant the software the ability to deploy code changes without any oversight.
Raghu Nandakumara, VP of Industry Strategy at Illumio, suggests that the biggest AI risk may not be a system breaking its rules but rather one that lacks meaningful limits in the first place. He emphasizes the importance of setting strict limits on AI agents' access and actions, then enforcing those limits within applications and across the underlying infrastructure to prevent unexpected behavior and potential damage.
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