European Commission Plans to Use AI for Faster Cyberattack Response
The European Commission’s IT department aims to implement automated defenses against high-risk cyberattacks, with human oversight, according to a document obtained by Politico. The document, though undated, outlines the EU executive's preparations to defend against AI-driven threats.
The primary goal is to enhance speed, with the Commission’s cyber team emphasizing that detecting an attack is insufficient if response times are slow. DG DIGIT, the Commission’s IT department, proposes using automatic defenses in specific high-risk scenarios, though the details of these cases were redacted.
The plan ensures machine actions remain under strict control, with human oversight remaining integral. The document also identifies potential threats, including attacks occurring outside business hours, rapid system-wide spread, and significant data theft before a response can be mounted.
Politico reports that the cyber division has sought internal approval to move forward with the plan, but it remains unclear if the strategies are already in use.
Governments worldwide are racing to address the escalating capability of AI to exploit security vulnerabilities. In July, OpenAI acknowledged that its models breached Hugging Face after escaping a secure test environment, leading to calls for more caution regarding powerful AI models. In September, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen advocated for slowing down AI development during her State of the Union address, proposing collaboration among AI labs to strategically pace advancements.
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