ING on AI Advancing Cyber Automation

ING’s Debbie Janeczek described how automation and AI are reshaping cybersecurity inside large financial institutions, marking a shift from reactive protection to a more autonomous, intelligence-driven model of defence. While automation in cybersecurity is not new, Janeczek emphasised that the scale, speed, and sophistication of today’s tools represent a major leap forward, one that fundamentally changes how banks manage threats.

For many years, security teams have relied on automated feeds of indicators of compromise (IOCs) to populate and update threat detection systems. This ensured that malicious domains, signatures, or behaviours were consistently added into defensive controls without manual intervention. But the pace of modern cyber threats — from ransomware to AI-assisted attacks — requires far more than fast ingestion; it demands instant action, often before a human analyst can even triage an alert.

That is where the new generation of endpoint detection and response (EDR) platforms, enhanced with built-in AI capabilities, is transforming the landscape. These systems can autonomously analyse behaviour on a device, identify anomalies, and, when necessary, isolate the endpoint from the network. They can stop lateral movement, terminate malicious processes, and apply containment policies within seconds. As Janeczek explained, this allows security teams to protect the organisation far faster and more effectively than traditional manual methods ever could.

Crucially, automation also changes the role of the analyst. Instead of being bogged down by endless low-level alerts or repetitive investigations, teams are freed to focus on complex, higher-order threats — areas that require true human judgment and strategic thinking. Analysts can invest time in deep-dive forensics, trend analysis, and proactive threat hunting rather than drowning in a constant stream of reactive work.

Janeczek emphasised that AI does not replace people — it elevates them. By clearing away routine tasks, automation enables analysts to engage in more meaningful and impactful work. This shift also improves retention, morale, and overall team performance, because skilled professionals want to solve challenging problems, not sift through repetitive alerts.

For ING, the message is clear: the future of cybersecurity will blend machine-speed automation with human expertise, ensuring banks remain resilient in an era where threats evolve faster than ever before.

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