AI Is the Only Way to Defend Against Hackers, Says Rafael Exec

The only way to defend against hacks is by using artificial intelligence, according to Irit Idan, executive vice president of research development at Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. Idan spoke on a panel hosted by CTech’s Editor in Chief Elihay Vidal as part of Calcalist’s Cyber 2020 conference, held at shared office venture Labs at Tel Aviv’s Azrieli Sarona tower.

In most cases, hacks result in financial losses, but a hack to one of the country’s main infrastructures could be a disaster on a national level, Idan said. “Imagine what would happen in case of an attack on Israel’s railway system and not on its ticket sales platform, but on its signaling system,” she added. Recently winning a tender to defend national databases, Rafael looks at new technologies as the only way to respond to cyber incidents, she said. A mobile phone is enough to create total chaos at an airport, even by doing simple things like shutting off the departures and arrivals display, said Roee Laufer, head of the division of cyber and information security at the Israel Airports Authority.

There is a significant rise in the number of passengers as part of a global trend, Laufer said. With it and with new technologies being implemented throughout the process of traveling through the airport, comes an increasing need for cyber protection, he added.