Leveraging AI and Zero Trust to Bolster Cybersecurity: A Success Story from CTBC Bank

Industry News

With the ever-growing threat of cyberattacks and fraud, financial institutions are on high alert to bolster their cybersecurity defenses and combat fraudulent activities. CTBC Bank has taken proactive steps in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and a zero-trust architecture to enhance its cybersecurity capabilities, successfully preventing a fraudulent transfer of 1.5 million TWD and recovering some funds for its customers. This real-world case highlights the effectiveness of integrating AI with advanced security measures to thwart cyber threats and financial fraud.

 

Strengthening Cybersecurity with AI

CTBC Bank has been at the forefront of exploring AI technology to enhance its cybersecurity defenses since establishing its dedicated digital finance development unit in 2015. According to Wu You-Wen, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at CTBC Bank, the bank has implemented a new threat detection system that utilizes AI to analyze internet traffic, identify new or mutated attack commands, and complement traditional signature-based security mechanisms, significantly reducing the risk of zero-day vulnerabilities. This system is powered by GPU servers, which provide the computational power necessary for real-time analysis and rapid threat detection.

For internal security, CTBC uses big data analytics to monitor employees’ behavior patterns within internal systems, establishing a baseline model for usage behaviors. This approach has reduced compliance management workload by approximately 25% and quickly identifies deviations from typical behavior, allowing supervisors to review and ensure appropriate conduct. This automated cybersecurity mechanism powered by AI has further enhanced internal management efficiency.

 

Expanding Zero Trust Architecture

The zero-trust architecture, which emphasizes “never trust, always verify,” has been a key focus for CTBC since it began planning its zero-trust framework in 2022. Completed in 2023, the initial pilot project centered on the “trust inference mechanism” that analyzes various data points in real-time, such as device status, authentication results, access patterns, and connection behaviors, assigning risk scores and automatically implementing corresponding security measures to minimize potential cybersecurity risks.

Based on the significant results from the pilot project, CTBC has expanded the zero-trust information access framework to other application scenarios. Following the Financial Supervisory Commission’s guidelines for implementing zero-trust architecture in the financial industry, CTBC aims to enhance the maturity of its zero-trust access framework and apply its principles across various information application scenarios and access designs, strengthening the security and resilience of its digital financial services.

 

Prioritizing Customer Asset Security

Protecting customer assets is a top priority for CTBC’s cybersecurity strategy. Wu You-Wen emphasized the importance of “effective security controls” and “security of emerging technologies,” noting that many security breaches often result from inadequate implementation of security measures rather than a lack of security equipment or procedures. By collecting and analyzing research reports from domestic and international cybersecurity institutions and reviewing past significant security incidents, CTBC continuously improves its security measures.

 

The Skynet Technology Platform

With rising financial fraud cases and evolving fraud tactics, CTBC has developed the “Skynet Technology Platform” using AI and big data. This platform detects suspicious patterns to protect customer assets. In collaboration with the Prosecutor’s Office, CTBC uses anonymized data to build a fraud detection mechanism, monitoring abnormal accounts and enhancing overall prevention capabilities.

One notable case involved a customer who fell for a high-return online investment scheme. Despite transferring NT$100,000 online, the customer was prevented from transferring an additional NT$1.5 million thanks to the Skynet platform’s AI risk assessment and timely intervention by branch staff, facilitated by the high-performance GPU servers used for data processing.

 

The Future of AI and Cybersecurity Integration

CTBC Bank envisions that the integration of AI and cybersecurity will become the core of future security measures. In the short term, the bank aims to use AI to improve the efficiency of incident analysis and response times, while reducing the workload of security personnel. In the medium term, the goal is to promote intelligent and automated security monitoring platforms, ensuring faster detection and counteraction against evolving threats.

Looking ahead, as AI technology rapidly advances and cybersecurity systems evolve, CTBC Bank recognizes the vast potential of AI in enhancing fraud detection and supporting the implementation of the zero-trust architecture. By continuously deepening its digital transformation, CTBC aims to leverage AI to improve fraud detection efficiency and strengthen overall cybersecurity defenses. GPU servers will play a critical role in providing the computational power for these advanced AI-driven security measures.

Through innovative use of AI, GPU servers, and zero-trust architecture, CTBC Bank sets a powerful example of how financial institutions can effectively safeguard their operations and protect customers from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

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