Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept: it is becoming one of the most important and transformative forces across all industries. From healthcare and education to finance, law enforcement and border control, AI is being implemented at an unprecedented pace. That presents both benefits and risks. While governments and companies can leverage machine learning and intelligent automation to improve efficiency, reduce fraud, and enhance user experience, malicious actors are employing AI to turbocharge their efforts to evade cyber controls and compromise IT systems.
At TLScontact, where we manage visa and consular services for governments around the world, we are experiencing firsthand how the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) is changing both the opportunities and the risks in our field. AI gives us the ability to modernise our services and deliver a more seamless and efficient experience to applicants. However, it is also a potential threat vector: the same tools that enable automation, protection, and service improvement can be used by threat actors to scale attacks.
Among the questions that we are asking ourselves are:
- How can we ensure the responsible and secure use of AI?
- How do we protect the privacy of applicants in a world where data moves fast?
- How do we stay ahead of AI-powered threats, from automated phishing to deepfakes?
These are not theoretical questions: they are part of our daily cyber security reality.
A strict framework for AI implementation
Whether we are harnessing AI to enhance our services or using it to strengthen our cyber defences, this must be done within strict parameters. Our approach to using AI is built on the following key pillars:
- A robust data governance framework, aligned with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as well as relevant national laws and sector-specific regulations. This includes clear policies on data collection, storage, access control, retention, and disposal.
- A comprehensive risk assessment of any AI solution before implementation, examining how data is processed, shared, and stored. We also subject all AI environments to rigorous technical testing, including penetration tests and vulnerability assessments, to ensure resilience against cyber threats.
- Human oversight of any AI-assisted processes, to validate outcomes, monitor system behaviour, and allow the intervention of trained professionals when necessary.
- Active collaboration with governments and regulators and alignment with international standards, including those issued by the European Union (EU AI Act), the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Using AI to strengthen cyber controls
At TLScontact, we see artificial intelligence not just as an opportunity for service innovation, but also as a critical layer of defence against malicious actors. In our work with our government clients, we handle millions of visa applications each year and with them, large quantities of sensitive applicant data. While AI has increased the risks, it can also be leveraged to reinforce our cyber defences.
In particular, it allows us to:
- Detect emerging threats faster and enable earlier predictive analysis
We use advanced threat intelligence platforms to monitor for early signs of malicious activity. This includes identifying suspicious domains (lookalike websites or sites that use typosquatting, for example), tracking dark web and social media chatter for potential threats, and flagging any communication that could indicate a planned attack on our systems or brand. By feeding our systems with real-time threat data, we can constantly improve their ability to detect and respond to evolving attack patterns.
- Analyse behaviour patterns to flag anomalies and automate responses to avoid potential data breaches
With the help of AI-powered solutions, we continuously monitor user and system behaviour to detect anomalies that may signal a compromised user session. These tools are trained to recognise subtle deviations from normal activity, enabling rapid detection and response. If any potentially malicious activity is identified, our systems automatically isolate endpoints, block suspicious traffic, and alert our cyber security team in real time. This automation significantly reduces response times and helps to prevent data breaches before they can occur.
- Combat sophisticated, AI-generated attacks
We deploy email protection tools that are trained to detect and block AI-generated phishing attempts and other malicious content. In parallel, we are continuously improving both internal procedures and external tools to detect and neutralise deepfakes and bot-driven attacks that target either our systems or the visa appointment process itself.
In this new AI-powered era, we are more committed than ever to protecting the integrity of the visa application process and the privacy of the applicants who use our services. By combining cutting-edge AI tools with robust internal processes, we can improve the way in which our systems detect and block emerging threats, ensure that we stay one step ahead of cyber criminals, and help governments deliver secure, modern, and efficient services that applicants can engage with securely and confidently.
Article written by Filip Stojanovic
Head of Cyber Security