There's growing excitement about Apple's plans to enhance its products with artificial intelligence (AI), especially with the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) scheduled for June. However, a potentially more significant development is Apple's use of AI to bolster the security of Mac computers against malware threats.
Howard Oakley, a macOS developer and blogger, has noticed that Apple recently updated its XProtect anti-malware system. This update added 74 new rules targeting the Adload adware virus, which is known for hijacking browsers and redirecting users to malicious websites. XProtect, an integral feature of macOS, detects and blocks malicious code in third-party apps. Although updates to XProtect are common, the scale of this particular update is notable.
Oakley speculates that the extensive update might have been aided by AI technologies. This approach could streamline the process of generating antivirus definitions, a task that typically requires substantial time and effort if done manually. Given the frequent updates made to the Adload virus to help it avoid detection, using AI could help Apple keep pace with the evolving threat, potentially overwhelming the malware's attempts to evade security measures.
The broader implications of AI in cybersecurity
The rapid development of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, has sparked a debate about their potential impact on both malware creators and cybersecurity defenders. Last year, discussions with cybersecurity experts revealed varied opinions. Joshua Long, Chief Security Analyst at antivirus firm Intego, mentioned that AI could assist in identifying zero-day vulnerabilities by analysing suspicious code. Conversely, Martin Zugec, Technical Solutions Director at Bitdefender, pointed out that most novice malware writers might lack the skills to circumvent the security protocols of advanced AI systems, suggesting that the risk of AI-generated malware is currently low.
While it's uncertain how extensively Apple has utilised AI in creating antivirus definitions in the past, the significant update to combat Adload suggests a shift towards a more proactive use of AI in cybersecurity. If AI can accelerate the development of antivirus definitions, it could become an essential tool in the fight against malware, helping to secure Mac computers more effectively than ever.
