Fortinet warns of the AI ​​era: hackers don't need code, organizations risk collapse in a single click.

Fortinet reveals that Thai organizations face increasing cybersecurity complexity as AI threats emerge too rapidly to cope. Dispersed systems, overwhelming alert volumes, and increased AI usage indicate a turning point toward adopting AI-driven security platforms.

May 14, 2569 – Fortinet announced the results of its latest study conducted by Forrester Consulting. Which reveals that... Organizations across the Asia-Pacific region are facing increasing cybersecurity complexities and AI-driven threats that are becoming increasingly difficult to address effectively.

Dr. Supakorn Kangpisdarn, Country Manager for Thailand and Laos, Fortinet. It has been revealed that criminals and malicious actors can now use AI as a tool for attacks, preparing for attacks in a short time. Furthermore, modern hackers don't need extensive computer knowledge like before; just knowing how to prompt AI commands is enough to easily penetrate organizational systems. Moreover, learning how to prompt effectively is now much easier and faster than learning basic computer skills.

Organizations are often overlooking cybersecurity in today's world. If an attack occurs, the recovery costs are high, and recovery is difficult. Some systems may require a complete reboot, and even that reboot process can be lengthy before the system returns to normal operation.

According to a Fortinet survey, 77% of organizations that have been attacked take one month to reboot their systems, and 53% take more than four months. The cost of a system reboot is at least $1 million, with the average cost averaging $2.1 million.

"Some businesses cannot afford to shut down their services for months at a time. When attacked, it's not just the cost of system recovery that's significant, but also the loss of valuable profit time. Some organizations are forced to become irrelevant and exit the industry."

Furthermore, the study clearly indicates that organizations are focusing on simplifying security systems, improving operational efficiency, and integrating AI into more centralized platforms.

The complexity and threats from AI are putting pressure on security operations.

• Cyber ​​risks are increasing due to both external threats and internal organizational complexities. 65% of organizations identify AI-driven threats as a major concern, while 57% point to issues with fragmented system tools and architectures, as well as excessive alerting.
• Security operations are facing pressure, with 58% of organizations reporting that excessive alerts make it difficult to identify actual threats, while 51% have to manage processes manually.
• Organizations also face limitations in terms of cybersecurity readiness, with 68% having a moderate level of readiness and only 16% having a high level of readiness.

This study highlights a clear turning point, as complexity is not just an operational challenge but has become a major factor posing cybersecurity risks.

The shift towards security platforms continues to expand.

• Many organizations are accelerating their transition to centralized security platforms. Currently, only 31% of organizations use a centralized platform, but this is expected to increase to 60% within the next 12–24 months.
• These changes were driven by the need to simplify tools (58%), improve integration efficiency (52%), and address the increased complexity of hybrid environments (49%).
• Despite these challenges, organizations continue to prioritize enhancing threat detection (40%) and incident response (39%), reflecting the widening gap between security expectations and actual operations.
• Key future directions reflect this transformation, with the organization focusing on automation in Security Operations Centers (SOCs), enhancing visibility, and integrating platforms to improve efficiency and support large-scale operations.
  But the challenges remain.
• 51% indicated that the costs and impacts of migrating systems were a major obstacle.
• 46% are still unsure whether the platform will provide a comprehensive range of capabilities.
  Despite these concerns, organizations still expect these benefits from system integration.
• 90% of organizations expect to see improved operational performance, with more than 60% anticipating at least a 10% increase in various areas, such as threat detection and response time, analyst productivity, and the overall efficiency of the Security Operations Center (SOC).

The study results indicate that security platforms are becoming an increasingly important operational approach for organizations seeking to reduce complexity and improve efficiency.

Investment in AI is soaring, but there is still a lack of preparedness and system integration is lagging behind.

• AI is evolving as both a new type of threat and a crucial tool for enhancing defense capabilities. 83% of organizations plan to increase their AI budgets, and more than half anticipate double-digit increases.
• More than 60% expect AI to improve detection accuracy, accelerate response, and strengthen overall security systems.
• Organizations also view AI as a key to reducing complexity, with 58% expecting consistent policy enforcement, 57% wanting centralized system control, and 56% wanting to reduce manual tasks. However, there remain gaps in operational readiness.
• Dispersed environments, limitations of automation, and the lack of centralized data are obstacles to the effective adoption of AI.
• Many organizations are still in the process of developing the foundational capabilities necessary to implement AI at the enterprise level.

This underscores that leveraging the potential of AI in security operations depends on having a collaborative environment and a readily available, centralized data structure.

“Organizations across the Asia Pacific region are facing a dual challenge: the rapidly evolving threat of AI and increasing internal organizational complexity. While investment remains strong, many organizations struggle to effectively implement security systems. A shift towards a seamless, platform-based security approach will be crucial in enhancing visibility, improving operational efficiency, and enabling resilient threat response.”

Dr. Supakorn continued, “Currently, customers are dealing with increasingly complex environments, including fragmented tools, limited visibility, and an ever-increasing number of alerts, making it difficult to detect and respond effectively to threats. At the same time, organizations want to use AI to increase speed and efficiency, but most lack the infrastructure to integrate these systems. At Fortinet, we are committed to helping organizations simplify their security architecture and enhance their resilience to threats through a centralized security platform that integrates visibility, automation, and AI-powered intelligence into a single platform.”

Furthermore, organizations have high expectations that AI will enhance security operations, from improving detection efficiency to accelerating response to threats. However, AI can only achieve effective results when operating on a well-integrated infrastructure. Without centralized visibility and data connectivity across the entire environment, AI may increase complexity rather than decrease it.

Therefore, system integration is a key factor that enables AI to operate effectively across the organization and deliver tangible security results.

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