Telekom Security: Tricks and pitfalls of artificial intelligence

• Telekom at the it-sa security trade fair October 22-24
• Top topic is AI in cyber defense - Telekom draws first conclusions
• Deutsche Telekom registers 30,000 to 40,000 attempted attacks every minute
• Cyber protection for operating technology - OT Security

It-sa begins tomorrow, Tuesday, in Nuremberg. With over 20,000 participants and more than 750 exhibitors, it-sa is Europe’s largest trade fair for IT security. The industry’s top topic this year is artificial intelligence.

The CEO of Telekom Security GmbH and CSO of Deutsche Telekom AG, Thomas Tschersich, draws an initial conclusion on the topic: “AI has also come to stay in security. But not all AI tools have been completely convincing to date. For small and medium-sized companies in particular, AI has its own tricks and sticking points.” The head of security at Deutsche Telekom will outline what these are at the press conference: Tuesday, October 22, 2024, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m., Hall 7A, Stand 124. Tschersich will also show how AI itself reveals the strengths and weaknesses of AI.

Deutsche Telekom’s Security Operations Center detects cyber attacks almost fully automatically. It analyzes several billion security-relevant data from a quarter of a million data sources every day. Telekom analyzes up to 95 million attempted attacks every day. This is also necessary, as the cyber situation remains tense. Telekom registers 30,000 to 40,000 attempted attacks every minute. Telekom presents its new Security Operations Center in Nuremberg. Telekom recently expanded its center and automated work processes. This is the Group’s response to increased attacks using AI. More than 250 cyber security experts in Bonn monitor Telekom’s systems and those of its customers 24 hours a day.

Deutsche Telekom is therefore countering attacks with a growing number of AI software and self-learning technology. More than two dozen super brains developed by Deutsche Telekom are working on the defense. Artificial intelligence keeps a constant eye on the network: It sounds the alarm if a line is disrupted or breaks down. AI helps analyze attack patterns in real time and advises on countermeasures. It also writes reports later on.

Deutsche Telekom will also be presenting its Magenta Security Fast Check offer at ist-sa. Deutsche Telekom identifies vulnerabilities and technical details in company IT before attackers exploit them. The service is based on the fishing platform developed by Telekom. It analyzes and evaluates a company’s attack surface. It does this in real time and automatically.

Speed is also the key to protecting network infrastructure. Deutsche Telekom therefore recommends SASE to its customers: SASE stands for “Secure Access Service Edge”. This unwieldy acronym stands for a new architecture model for corporate IT. It unifies network and security through the Magenta Security SASE platform and marries the two in the cloud. This simplifies the infrastructure and makes it significantly more secure. More workflows can be automated in this way. Administrators of such networks have a central overview of the most important security and network functions, just like in an airplane cockpit. Service providers therefore offer both as an integrated service from the cloud.

In addition to corporate IT such as servers or computer workstations, Telekom also protects customers’ operating technology (OT security). Hospitals in particular have a lot of it: from computer tomographs to smart beds. Telekom protects the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), among others. The company has put together a cyber security package tailored to the needs of the 38 clinics and 31 institutes that belong to the UKB. Deutsche Telekom will be advising on OT security at the trade fair.

With digital identities and their protection, Deutsche Telekom is focusing on another key topic at the trade fair. Secure digital identities should protect all of our digital lives from theft and fraud in the future. The basis for this is the EU’s EIDAS regulation. Deutsche Telekom will be presenting its range of digital certificates and identity management services at it-sa. To this end, the company is working together with the globally active DigiCert Inc. from North America.