Keynote

Insane in the AI Supply Chain: Attacks, defenses and open questions Eoin Wickens, Director of Threat Intelligence, HiddenLayer

Abstract

A supply chain attack can be incredibly damaging, far-reaching, and an all-around terrifying prospect that has been carved into the collective memory of security practitioners and executive leadership alike. Over the last three years since significant incidents like Solarwinds and Kaseya, the industry has made great strides in securing software supply chains, determined not to make the same mistakes again.

However, with the widespread use of AI and its incorporation into all levels of the technology stack, a new aspect of supply chain risk is being introduced that has largely fallen out of the scope of security practitioners and leadership alike. In the age of AI, will all that has happened before happen again?

In this talk, we highlight the critical components of the AI supply chain, the many ways it can be attacked, and how to best mitigate risk through supply chain security measures. We highlight the open research questions the industry is attempting to solve, such as the provable provenance of data and model assets, and the lessons learned along the way. We will discuss ongoing community efforts in these areas, and ultimately posit how significant work in this area will be in defining our future.

Bio

Eoin Wickens is the Director of Threat Intelligence at HiddenLayer, where he works as a leading researcher in securing artificial intelligence systems. He has previously worked in threat research, threat intelligence, and malware reverse engineering. He has written over a dozen articles on AI and cybersecurity, including co-authoring a book on cyber threat intelligence focusing on Cobalt Strike. Eoin has spoken at conferences such as BSides San Francisco, DEF CON AI Village, LABSCON, and 44CON and proudly supports the Irish cybersecurity community as a south chapter member lead of Cyber Ireland. Eoin lives on a small island off the coast of mainland Ireland, and when he’s not out at sea, he’s thinking about how he can get back out there.