
Google says its new AI agent stopped a big cyberattack before hackers could even launch it
Google has invested heavily in AI technologies, with their effectiveness spanning a variety of fields from medical science to problem-solving. The latest achievement by Big Sleep underscores its role in the cybersecurity domain, where it "actively searches and finds unknown security vulnerabilities in software". This advancement exemplifies the growing potential for AI to outperform traditional human-led processes in identifying and mitigating cybersecurity threats.While Google has not specified when Big Sleep began its operations, it appears the AI has been operating behind the scenes for some time. The deployment of such an AI-powered agent reinforces a shift in threat detection methodologies, moving from reactive to proactive strategies. Google's announcement suggests that its security framework is evolving to incorporate more sophisticated AI models to preemptively combat cyber threats.Beyond Big Sleep, Google also plans to showcase other AI capabilities designed to enhance cybersecurity defences. Among these is Timesketch, an open-source digital forensics platform that benefits from AI technologies. Additionally, Google is developing FACADE, a threat detection system that has been employed to identify internal threats since 2018. These initiatives highlight Google's comprehensive approach to leveraging AI in fortifying its cybersecurity measures.The implications of these advancements are significant. As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, the ability to detect and neutralise them before they manifest could be a game-changer for industries reliant on digital security. Google's innovations could inspire other companies to integrate similar AI technologies into their cybersecurity protocols, enhancing overall resilience against cyber threats.As the cybersecurity landscape evolves, the role of AI in preemptive threat detection is likely to expand. The successful deployment of Big Sleep and comparable technologies suggests that the future of cybersecurity may increasingly depend on AI-driven solutions capable of outpacing potential threats before they fully emerge.Google's achievements with Big Sleep not only highlight the potential of AI in cybersecurity but also underscore the necessity for continuous innovation in digital defence strategies. As more companies consider integrating AI into their security frameworks, the industry is poised for a transformative shift towards more effective and proactive threat management.- Ends

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hans India
28 minutes ago
- Hans India
AP fast emerging as best investment destination: CM
Singapore: Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who chose to go to Singapore professedly to rebuild ties that he believes had strained under the previous administration, has positioned the state as a burgeoning investment destination, citing abundant opportunities in key sectors like ports and green energy. During his ongoing official visit to Singapore, he affirmed that the state was actively implementing progressive policies designed to attract Singaporean enterprises. On Sunday, Chief Minister Naidu met with Shilpak Ambule, the Indian High Commissioner to Singapore, with whom the discussions centered on strengthening economic ties and exploring investment avenues. High Commissioner Ambule underscored the significant recognition and respect the 'CBN Brand' commanded within Singapore's government and industrial sectors. Chief Minister Naidu, recalling the earlier collaboration on the Amaravati capital city project, acknowledged Singapore's withdrawal between 2019 and 2024 due to unforeseen developments. He stated that a key objective of his current visit was to address past misunderstandings and rebuild the narrative through renewed engagement. The Chief Minister detailed Andhra Pradesh's newly introduced investment policies, reiterating the state's ambitious goal of achieving 160 gigawatt of green energy generation. He informed the High Commissioner that green hydrogen projects are already underway in Visakhapatnam (in partnership with NTPC) and Kakinada. Solidifying the state's technological aspirations, CM Naidu announced that Andhra Pradesh was set to establish India's first-ever Quantum Valley in Amaravati under the India Quantum Mission. He also confirmed that global tech giant Google was setting up a data center in Visakhapatnam. Highlighting the state's industrial potential, CM Naidu pointed out that regions like Rayalaseema offered highly conducive conditions for the establishment of defence, aerospace, electronics, and automobile manufacturing units. He expressed his view that Andhra Pradesh could serve as a strategic gateway for Singaporean investments into India and sought support to facilitate this. High Commissioner Ambule also noted that 83% of Singapore's population benefited from public housing projects. In response, Minister P. Narayana provided an overview of Andhra Pradesh's housing initiatives. The meeting also focused on collaboration in fields such as Artificial Intelligence, startups, medical device research, and academic partnerships between universities in Andhra Pradesh and Singapore. Ministers Nara Lokesh and TG Bharat, along with senior government officials from Andhra Pradesh, were present during the discussions.


Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
India-US trade deal: Commerce Ministry advised against accepting ‘unilaterally framed obligation' on digital taxes
Legal advisers to the Commerce and Industry Ministry have suggested that Indian negotiators dealing with their US counterparts should not accept Washington's proposal that prohibits India from reintroducing equalisation levy-style taxes, such as the 'Google tax', in the future, a person aware of the negotiations told The Indian Express. The advice was offered on the grounds that the provisions drafted by the US did not state that both parties should refrain from applying digital taxes on each other. Rather, they sought a legal commitment only from the Indian side and were seen as a 'unilaterally framed obligation', the source said. While the US offers a range of digital services in India and American tech companies have long lobbied against any taxes on such services, India also exports a wide range of digital services to the US — particularly in the IT sector — generating the majority share of its total services exports earnings from the US market. Another concern raised with the government was that agreeing to such unilateral provisions could set a risky precedent for future trade negotiations, where similar demands could be made by other trading partners during talks with New Delhi, thereby complicating future negotiations. In a move to assuage US concerns about India being a high-tariff nation, the Central government in March proposed abolishing the equalisation levy on online advertisements as part of the amendments to the Finance Bill, 2025. An equalisation levy is a measure to 'equalise' the tax treatment of resident and non-resident e-commerce companies. As part of the 35 amendments to the Finance Bill, 2025, the Centre proposed removing the 6 per cent equalisation levy (EL) it charges on digital ads, effective from 1 April 2025. A query emailed to the Commerce and Industry Ministry remained unanswered till press time. 'Digital taxation is typically discussed outside the framework of a trade agreement. It is a nation's sovereign right to decide on such matters, and India should reserve that right. Bringing it under the scope of a trade agreement weakens your position. We need to examine the digital trade chapters of the US and Australia, which India must study carefully. Australia has provided the US with a carve-out that allows for protections for US services. We also need to secure our IT/ITeS and technology exports from taxation in the US, our largest market' Arpita Mukherjee, professor at Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) said. Notably the US has forced Indonesia to several steep terms on digital trade. Indonesia has committed to address barriers impacting digital trade, services, and investment, a White House statement said. 'Indonesia will provide certainty regarding the ability to transfer personal data out of its territory to the United States. Indonesia has committed to eliminate existing HTS tariff lines on 'intangible products' and suspend related requirements on import declarations; to support a permanent moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions at the WTO immediately and without conditions; and to take effective actions to implement the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation, including submitting its revised Specific Commitments for certification by the World Trade Organization (WTO),' the White House statement read. The United States Trade Representative (USTR), in its report on non-tariff barriers, had earlier cited the 6 per cent equalisation levy as a discriminatory measure against US firms. The USTR report said that most digital services taxes are designed in ways that discriminate against US companies, often singling out American firms for taxation while excluding domestic companies engaged in similar lines of business. The US has also raised concerns about digital services taxes with a number of trade partners, particularly the EU. 'The disproportionate capture of US firms by the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) is also noted as undermining US competitiveness due to increased compliance costs not borne by EU competitors,' the USTR said. Differences between India and the US assume significance as New Delhi continues to face the risk of 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs. After Indian negotiators completed another round of discussions in Washington last week, a US team led by the US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, Brendan Lynch, is expected to visit India in mid-August to continue negotiations for a trade agreement. While India and the US have agreed on a wide range of tariff lines, the negotiations — which currently only involve market access for goods — remain stuck over sensitive sectors such as agriculture and automobiles, which are key job creators in India. Ravi Dutta Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, covering policy issues related to trade, commerce, and banking. He has over five years of experience and has previously worked with Mint, CNBC-TV18, and other news outlets. ... Read More


The Print
9 hours ago
- The Print
CM Naidu meets Indian High Commissioner in Singapore, investors
'Andhra Pradesh offers abundant opportunities for investment across multiple sectors,' said Naidu in an official release. He said that Andhra Pradesh is the most suitable destination for global investments, highlighting strengths in the green energy, electronics, ports, logistics and manufacturing sectors. Amaravati, Jul 27 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, as part of his five-day visit to Singapore, met the Indian High Commissioner and several investors on Sunday and showcased the state's vast potential. The CM held talks with Indian High Commissioner Shilpak Ambule, who shared insights into Singapore's achievements in diverse areas, its robust economic growth and the effective public policies being implemented there. Naidu shared details of the state's newly introduced policies, aimed at attracting investments across various sectors. The state has set an ambitious target of producing 160 gigawatts of green energy, he added. He informed the High Commissioner that green hydrogen projects have already been launched in Visakhapatnam (in partnership with NTPC) and Kakinada. Under the India Quantum Mission, Andhra Pradesh is set to establish the country's 'first-ever Quantum Valley' in Amaravati, said Naidu, adding that global tech leader Google is setting up a data center in Visakhapatnam. Highlighting Andhra's industrial potential, the CM said Rayalaseema is ideal for defence and aerospace units and urged support to make the state a gateway for Singaporean investments. Ambule informed the CM that on several sectors, the Singaporean companies are exploring investment opportunities in Andhra Pradesh, including electronics, semiconductor manufacturing, shipbuilding, port operations, data centers and pharmaceuticals. According to the release, major Asia-Pacific firms headquartered in Singapore, including STT (ST Telemedia)–which specialises in digital infrastructure and data centers and Keppel Corporation–which operates in infrastructure, energy, and urban development have shown interest in investing in Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, Equinix, a global leader in data centers and internet connectivity services and PSA International-a port operating company and logistics firms have shown interest in investing in Andhra Pradesh. The meeting also focused on collaboration in fields such as artificial intelligence, startups, medical device research, and academic partnerships between universities in the southern state and Singapore. Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh shared plans for expanding higher education institutions while Municipal Minister P Narayana presented state's housing schemes, inspired by Singapore's successful public housing model. Later, Naidu met the representatives from Surbana Jurong, a global urban infrastructure company who has shown interest in investing in Andhra Pradesh and invited them to join large-scale housing projects under the state's 'Housing for All' initiative. The CM explained that the state is focusing on infrastructure development projects and highlighted the development of 20 ports and 15 airports, positioning itself as a logistics hub. Similarly, Eversendai Engineering, a Malaysia-based construction firm, has shown interest in investing in Andhra Pradesh after its chairman Tan Sri Dato' AK Nathan met Naidu. They discussed plans to set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing factory and integrated training center in the state, with Visakhapatnam or Krishnapatnam shortlisted as possible locations. The proposed factory, spread over two lakh square meters, will aid nationwide product distribution, boost industrial growth, and create large-scale employment opportunities across Andhra Pradesh's emerging industrial zones, said the release. Eversendai also expressed interest in Amaravati's infrastructure projects and proposed a structural engineering training center with IIT Tirupati and IIIT Sri City as knowledge partners. PTI MS GDK KH This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.