Building a future of safe and ethical AI systems – PwC Hack A Day 2023 shines spotlight on securing AI

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Hong Kong, 7 November 2023 – As the world embraces the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI), it is crucial to ensure that AI systems are secure, sustainable, and aligned with human core values. In the year 2023, AI has taken centre stage, and its presence is set to expand further with the release of thousands of AI models in the coming years. Recognising the need to address the security and ethical aspects of AI, PwC Hong Kong’s Hack A Day, themed "Securing AI," highlights the importance of understanding the potential security risks and vulnerabilities associated with AI.

With the rapid advancements in AI, it is essential to strike a balance between reaping the benefits and upholding the necessary safeguards. While AI offers immense potential and advantages across various domains, it also presents unique challenges in terms of security and ethics. The latest analysis of leak site data reveals a notable 56% year-on-year surge in ransomware attacks targeting victims in the Asia Pacific region. Additionally, the city of Hong Kong has witnessed a concerning 21% increase in the number of victims impacted by these malicious incidents. This rise in attacks underscores the ongoing efforts of threat actors to continuously innovate and specialise, enabling them to maintain a high level of sophistication in terms of speed and scale, thus outpacing the defensive measures employed by organisations and cybersecurity professionals. Hack A Day 2023 aims to raise awareness across the entire ecosystem about the importance of AI security, where industry experts can share insights, strategies, and best practices to ensure the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.

Kok Tin Gan, PwC Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Privacy Partner, said, “We believe that securing AI is a collective responsibility. Hack A Day 2023 aims to create a collaborative and inclusive environment with practical insights into securing AI systems, protecting sensitive data, mitigating privacy risks, and ensuring transparency and fairness in algorithmic decision-making. We aspire to build a future where AI can co-exist and uphold the necessary safeguards and ethical considerations. We are delighted to unveil Dark Lab's latest innovation, Cyber Threat Operations 3.0, empowered by cutting-edge AI technology. We recognise the imperative of ingesting a wider array of data from diverse sources, allowing us to harness the power of AI for enhanced insights and improved optimisation of false positives rates.”

Hack A Day 2023 takes place at sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck today, which serves as a platform for industry experts to discuss the evolving cyber threat landscape, transformative impact of AI and ways to utilise AI to enhance security measures. The event also emphasises the importance of nurturing the younger generation and encouraging their active involvement in the future of securing AI systems.

The event features keynote speeches, panel discussions, engaging workshops, as well as two competitions – Capture the Flag and Hackathon – for undergraduate students. Renowned experts from the industry shed light on the latest trends, emerging threats, and innovative solutions in AI security through case studies of real-life incidents and demonstrations on cutting-edge AI security models, such as the Dark Lab AI Security Model. Through the demonstration on Dark Lab AI Security Model, PwC Hong Kong holds the belief that cybersecurity should not solely focus on security logs, but rather extend its coverage to include the ingestion of all company data, such as documents, Microsoft Teams messages, SharePoint etc.

One of the key highlights of Hack A Day 2023 is its emphasis on empowering the younger generation to safeguard cybersecurity. Recognising their potential to shape the future, the event provides a dedicated platform for students to showcase their cybersecurity skills. There is a record number of participating teams, with 81 teams coming from institutions across Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam for these two competitions.

Kok Tin Gan added, “Hack A Day aims to inspire the next generation of cybersecurity experts who will play a vital role in shaping the future landscape of AI. We believe that the future of AI security lies in the hands of the younger generation. By encouraging their active participation and providing them with the necessary resources, we can build a strong foundation for secure and ethical AI systems.”

PwC Hong Kong has offered scholarships to over 60 university students to develop their careers in cybersecurity since the Hack A Day was launched for the seventh consecutive years. PwC hires more than 50 employees for its cybersecurity team in Hong Kong each year. It is also one of the biggest employers in the industry and has groomed over 250 staff to date.