A fundamental challenge with large language models (LLMs) in a security context is that their greatest strengths as defensive tools are precisely what enable their offensive power.
This issue is known as the dual-use dilemma, a concept typically applied to technologies like nuclear physics or biotechnology, but now also central to AI. Any tool powerful enough to build a complex system can also be repurposed to break one. This dilemma manifests in several critical ways related to cybersecurity. While defenders can employ LLMs to speed up and improve responses, attackers can also take advantage of them for their workflows. For example:
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Source: Palo Alto Unit 42
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