Software Must Be Secure by Design, and Artificial Intelligence Is No Exception

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Source: Shutterstock, https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/software-development-internet-security-hacker-prevention-1912173598

August 22, 2023 | Originally published by CISA on August 18, 2023

Discussions of artificial intelligence (AI) often swirl with mysticism regarding how an AI system functions. The reality is far more simple:  AI is a type of software system.

And like any software system, AI must be secure by design. This means that manufacturers of AI systems must consider the security of the customers as a core business requirement, not just a technical feature, and prioritize security throughout the whole lifecycle of the product, from inception of the idea to planning for the system’s end of life. It also means that AI systems must be secure to use out of the box, with little to no configuration changes or additional cost.