Enhancing PC Security with AI: Intel’s Innovative Approach

#AD Many businesses have been using AI and crunching big data for decades. However, with recent advancements in computing power, mobility, and connectivity, we continue to look for better ways to maximise the safety of our working environments. 

SecOps teams, Cyber Security and Technology departments need to work harder than ever before to combat the increased risk of threats, ensuring that critical data and mission critical systems are not compromised. 

Over the years, Intel have been working closely with ISV’s (Independent Software Vendors) and other key industry players to enhance PC security, reduce attack surfaces, localise threat detection and increase productivity, collaboration and creativity.

AI is built directly into Intel vPro PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra processors, which provide considerable performance upgrades for both productivity, sustainability and for cyber security threat detection and closing doors of entry.

Cybersecurity is not just the responsibility of Sec Ops and Technology departments but of every person within the organisation.

I recently interviewed Todd Cramer, Director of Security Ecosystem at Intel. We discussed how AI is revolutionising PC security threat detection, performance and Intel’s PC Architecture. 

Get the YouTube video here: https://www.youtube.com/live/NqmcoA4cMRU?feature=shared

No matter what professional track you are on or operating department in your company or stage of career you are in, you will gain invaluable knowledge and actionable intelligence from this insightful conversation. 

Navigating the Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape

As anyone in Cyber Security knows, in today’s digital landscape, businesses are facing an increasingly complex and sophisticated threat environment. Cyber-attacks have become more frequent and malicious, with ransomware alone causing over $1.1 billion in global payouts last year. The emergence of AI-powered attacks has further escalated the need for robust security measures.

Security Operations Centres (SOCs) are continually evolving to combat the cyber threat landscape. Fortunately for Security Operations (SecOps) they are able to embrace the latest AI technology to detect, remediate security incidents and mitigate risks. 

Intel’s Holistic Approach to PC Security

Intel is taking a comprehensive approach that combines hardware and software innovations. By leveraging the power of AI, Intel is empowering PC users and businesses to stay ahead of cybercriminals.

Data feeds and the monitoring of those are now possible on a localised processor level, monitoring chip behaviour. This faster localised approach is key in mitigating risks and monitoring these threats and anomalies that can ordinarily gain access to important data and compromise devices quickly.

Hardware-Accelerated Security Features

At the core of Intel’s strategy is the integration of specialised hardware components, such as the Neural Processing Unit (NPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), and Central Processing Unit (CPU), collectively known as “xPUs.” These hardware accelerators are designed to optimise the performance of various security-related tasks, including:

• Cryptography and Encryption: Accelerating the computationally intensive processes involved in secure authentication and data protection.
• Memory Scanning: Offloading the resource-intensive task of scanning system memory for potential threats to dedicated hardware.
• Threat Detection: Leveraging machine learning models to identify and mitigate emerging threats, such as ransomware and crypto jacking attacks.

Integrating AI into the PC Architecture

Intel’s latest Core Ultra processors have taken a significant step forward by incorporating an NPU, enabling the deployment of AI-powered security features directly on the endpoint. This shift from cloud-based AI to local, hardware-accelerated AI processing brings several key benefits:

1. Faster Threat Detection and Response: By running AI models on the device, security solutions can quickly identify and respond to threats, reducing the time attackers have to infiltrate and spread across a network.
2. Enhanced Privacy and Data Protection: With AI processing happening on the PC as opposed to in the cloud, sensitive user data is kept local, minimising the need to send information to the cloud and reducing the risk of data breaches.
3. Improved Efficiency and Performance: Offloading security-related computations to dedicated hardware accelerators ensures that users can continue their work uninterrupted, without experiencing performance degradation.

Threat Detection Technology (Intel TDT)

One of the pioneering examples of Intel’s hardware-accelerated security is Intel TDT. It leverages the unique telemetry data from the CPU to train machine learning models that can accurately detect and flag ransomware and crypto jacking attacks. This hardware-software integration has been shown to increase detection rates. Intel TDT detected 93 percent of presented ransomware threats without software assistance – 20 percent more than a competitive system using software alone.

Empowering the Security Ecosystem

Intel’s commitment to enhancing PC security extends beyond its own hardware innovations. The company actively collaborates with the broader security industry, working closely with independent software vendors to ensure seamless integration and optimization of their solutions on Intel-based platforms.

Enabling the Developer Community

To support the developer community, Intel provides a comprehensive suite of tools and resources, including software development kits (SDKs), optimization frameworks, and early access to new hardware platforms. This empowers security software vendors to leverage the full potential of Intel’s hardware capabilities, further strengthening the overall security ecosystem.

AI-Powered Cybersecurity 

As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve and the needs of modern businesses evolve, Intel envisions a future where AI plays an increasingly pivotal role in defending against sophisticated attacks.

From automating incident response and remediation to leveraging generative AI to secure user identities, the potential for AI-powered security solutions and cutting edge on device AI applications is vast.

Other Benefits of an Intel Core Ultra Powered PC

Intel Core Ultra Powered PCs also offer over 300 AI-accelerated features which offer up to 47% better app performance vs. 3-year-old PC¹ They also reduce power consumption and have up to 82% better graphics performance when comparing Intel Core Ultra 7 165H vs. Intel Core i7-1370P.² 

Intel have now surpassed 500 pre-trained AI models running optimized on Intel Core Ultra Processors. ³

Hardware acceleration is the use of computer hardware designed to perform specific functions more efficiently when compared to software running on a CPU.

By combining these hardware-accelerated security features, AI-enabled threat detection, and a collaborative approach with the security industry, Intel is a key player in the ongoing battle against cybercrime. As businesses and individuals navigate the ever-changing threat landscape, Intel’s innovative solutions offer a promising path toward enhanced PC security and resilience.

To find all the information on the new Intel Core Ultra AI powered processor check out this link: https://intel.ly/43JvsrX

1. Measure by Crossmark overall score.
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2.  As measured by 3DMark Time Spy 
   comparing Intel Core Ultra 7 165H vs. Intel Core i7-1370P. Test  date November 27, 2023.
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3.  Intel Newsroom /500+ AI Models Run Optimized on Intel Core Ultra
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