Artificial intelligence for cybersecurity: Literature review and future research directions

TLDR

Artificial intelligence enhances cybersecurity by automating repetitive tasks, accelerating threat detection and response, and improving the accuracy of actions to strengthen defenses against diverse cyberattacks. This article systematically reviews AI use cases in cybersecurity, classifies them with a NIST framework, and outlines future research directions. The authors performed a systematic literature review of 2,395 studies, applied thematic analysis, and categorized AI use cases according to the NIST cybersecurity framework. The review identified 2,395 studies, of which 236 were primary, and highlighted future research opportunities in emerging application areas, advanced AI methods, data representation, and infrastructure development.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful technology that helps cybersecurity teams automate repetitive tasks, accelerate threat detection and response, and improve the accuracy of their actions to strengthen the security posture against various security issues and cyberattacks. This article presents a systematic literature review and a detailed analysis of AI use cases for cybersecurity provisioning. The review resulted in 2395 studies, of which 236 were identified as primary. This article classifies the identified AI use cases based on a NIST cybersecurity framework using a thematic analysis approach. This classification framework will provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the potential of AI to improve cybersecurity in different contexts. The review also identifies future research opportunities in emerging cybersecurity application areas, advanced AI methods, data representation, and the development of new infrastructures for the successful adoption of AI-based cybersecurity in today's era of digital transformation and polycrisis.