Accenture Expands Generative AI-Powered Cybersecurity Services and Capabilities to Accelerate Clients’ Resilience and Reinvention

Rhea-AI Summary

Accenture has announced new generative AI-powered cybersecurity services and capabilities to enhance business resilience. The company reports a 223% increase in deepfake-related tool trading on dark web forums in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023. New services include Secure AI Solutions, Deepfake Protection, Business Cyber Crisis Recovery, and Quantum Security Suite. The company is expanding its global network with new Cyber Future Centers and has grown its cybersecurity workforce by over 30% to more than 25,000 professionals in 2024. Core cybersecurity services powered by Accenture mySecurity aim to achieve 30-40% cost reduction through modernization and automation.

Positive

• Cybersecurity workforce grown by over 30% to 25,000+ professionals
• New services expected to deliver 30-40% cost reduction in security transformation
• Expansion of global network with new Cyber Future Centers across 22 countries
• 19 security acquisitions made since 2015

Negative

• 223% surge in deepfake-related tool trading indicates increased cyber threats
• Rising AI-driven cyberattacks pose new security challenges

Insights

Technology Security Analyst

This strategic expansion of Accenture's cybersecurity services represents a significant market positioning move in the rapidly evolving AI security landscape. The 223% surge in deepfake-related tool trading signals a critical market opportunity that Accenture is actively addressing. The introduction of quantum-safe security solutions and gen AI-powered services could generate substantial revenue streams, particularly given the projected 30-40% cost reduction in security transformation efforts.

The expansion of global facilities and 30% growth in cybersecurity workforce to over 25,000 professionals demonstrates strong operational scaling. The 19 security acquisitions since 2015 and investments in 13 cybersecurity companies show aggressive market consolidation strategy. The integration of gen AI across core services positions Accenture as a leader in next-generation cybersecurity, potentially driving significant market share growth in the $500B+ cybersecurity market.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Accenture (NYSE:ACN) today announced new services and capabilities designed to reinvent business and cyber resilience through the power of gen AI, deepfake protection and quantum-safe data security solutions to help clients across industries become cyber-resilient organizations.

Core Cybersecurity Services: Newly Powered by Gen AI (Graphic: Business Wire)

Cybercriminals are increasingly using gen AI and dark large language models (LLMs) to launch new types of cyberattacks. In fact, Accenture’s cyber intelligence (ACI) researchers have observed a 223% surge in deepfake-related tool trading on dark web forums in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. The ACI team expects a significant rise in AI-driven cyberattacks, a warning signal that organizations need to adopt advanced AI-based cybersecurity measures that detect, respond to, predict and prevent threats in real-time.

“Modern cybersecurity protects across the entire business—from the digital core to the supply chain—and draws on gen AI-powered and quantum-proof protections, which are vital as cybercriminals ramp up new kinds of attacks using advanced AI technologies,” said Julie Sweet, chair and CEO, Accenture. “Our new cybersecurity services and centers help our clients use the latest technologies to safeguard their critical assets and increase their resilience, so they can reinvent with confidence and create more value faster.”

“The cybersecurity landscape is at a crossroads of unprecedented technological advancements and mounting challenges compounded by geopolitical and systemic supply chain risks,” said Paolo Dal Cin, global lead, Accenture Security. “Helping our clients adopt cybersecurity solutions powered by gen AI will enable them to effectively navigate change, accelerate business protection and become cyber-and business-resilient organizations.”

New Cybersecurity Services

According to Gartner®, concern about AI-enhanced malicious attacks again topped Gartner, Inc.’s emerging risk rankings in the second quarter of 2024. To help clients safely adopt emerging technologies while simultaneously tackling evolving threats, Accenture is introducing new services, which it also employs to protect its business operations. Some of these include:

• Secure AI Solutions establishes resilience throughout an organization’s entire AI program lifecycle, including best practices for developing frameworks; policies and processes to ensure secure AI practices; capabilities to assess and protect access, data, models, infrastructure and building trust-by-design in AI systems. It also incorporates red-teaming and adversarial simulations that help find vulnerabilities in AI systems, including LLMs and a Gen AI Security Diagnostic to detect and secure unauthorized AI deployments.
• Deepfake Protection includes security testing, monitoring and detection of deepfakes powered by key partners’ technologies such as Reality Defender to stay ahead of evolving AI threats that are impacting customer contact centers, business videoconferences and other critical points of communication.
• Business Cyber Crisis Recovery a cloud-based solution enables C-suite leaders across industries such as healthcare, telecommunications and oil & gas to quickly restore essential infrastructure and significantly reduce the downtime impacts associated with recovering from a cyberattack. As a result, essential operations can be restored in hours rather than weeks.
• Quantum Security Suite of services for building robust strategies, discovering vulnerable encryption throughout an enterprise and replacing outdated technology by leveraging the latest quantum-safe algorithms recommended by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology and orchestrating their use securely and efficiently.

Core Cybersecurity Services – Newly Powered by Gen AI

Many organizations (86%) are either actively or planning to consolidate their tools as a means to streamline their cybersecurity operations¹. In response, Accenture is powering its core cybersecurity offerings with the Accenture mySecurity a centralized suite of assets that integrates gen AI into all cyber-resilience services across supply chain, cloud, application, cyber resilience and identity and access management to drive speed, efficiency and help clients protect against AI-driven threats. These include:

Core Cybersecurity Services Newly Powered by Gen AI Achieve up to 30-40% cost reduction and acceleration of security transformation efforts through modernization, rationalization and automation
Supply Chain Risk Reduce manual efforts in operations and significantly increase speed to response	Cloud Security Reduce the time to create security-embedded infrastructure as code from days to minutes
Application Security Secure applications end-to-end, easing human effort	Managed Detection and Response Leverage security AI assistants to automate manual tasks
Identity and Access Management Enhance identity strategy, accelerate transformation and increase operational efficiency	Platform Security Streamline implementation and operations through AI enhanced deployment and accelerated ticket closures

For example, Accenture is actively working to shield nations from cyberattacks and is helping the Kuwait Government Central Agency for Information Technology to strengthen their cybersecurity infrastructure through the establishment and management of a National Security Operations Center. This collaborative effort aims to enhance visibility, detection and remediation capabilities against evolving cyber threats. The project will be supported by Accenture's global network of Cyber Future Centers supported by a 24/7 local team focused on protecting the nation's most critical organizations leveraging the benefits of gen AI.

New Cyber Future Centers

Additionally, delivering these new cybersecurity services Accenture will expand its global network of advanced cybersecurity facilities with new Cyber Future Centers powered by emerging technologies. The new locations include a flagship gen AI Security studio in Brussels and a studio in Washington, D.C.; a Quantum Security Center and Lab and a Cyber Physical Security center in Bengaluru; and a Sovereignty Hub in Malaga. With these new centers powered by gen AI and quantum security solutions, Accenture’s cybersecurity facilities currently span more than 40 locations across 22 countries.

In 2024, the number of Accenture's cybersecurity professionals grew by more than 30% to more than 25,000 people. Since 2015, Accenture has made 19 security acquisitions, including most recently strengthening its managed security services capabilities in Europe and Mexico with the acquisition of Innotec Security and Mnemo Mexico, respectively. Additionally, Accenture has invested in 13 cybersecurity, space and quantum security companies, including SpiderOak and Aliro Quantum.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “aspires,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook,” “goal,” “target” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance nor promises that goals or targets will be met, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, without limitation, that Accenture faces legal, reputational and financial risks from any failure to protect client and/or company data from security incidents or cyberattacks, and risks and uncertainties related to the development and use of AI could harm our business, damage our reputation or give rise to legal or regulatory action, as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture’s expectations.

Gartner Press Release, “Gartner Survey Shows Rising Concern of AI-Enhanced Malicious Attacks as Top Emerging Risk for Enterprises for Second Consecutive Quarter”, 30 July 2024. https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-07-30-gartner-survey-shows-rising-concern-of-ai-enhanced-malicious-attacks-as. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with 774,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. Our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at accenture.com.

Accenture Security is a leading provider of end-to-end cybersecurity services, including strategy, protection, resilience and industry-specific cyber services. We bring security innovation, coupled with global scale and a worldwide delivery capability through our network of Cyber Fusion Centers. Helped by our team of more than 25,000 highly skilled professionals, we enable clients to innovate safely, build cyber resilience and grow with confidence. Visit us at accenture.com/security.

Copyright © 2024 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture and its logo are registered trademarks of Accenture.

¹ IDC, North America Tools and Vendors Consolidation Survey, 2023: Insights on Consolidation Plans, doc # US51902424, March 2024

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241119588374/en/

Alison Geib

Accenture

+1 703 947 4404

alison.geib@accenture.com

Denise Berard

Accenture

+1 617 488 3611

denise.berard@accenture.com

Source: Accenture

FAQ

What is the percentage increase in deepfake-related tool trading reported by Accenture (ACN) in Q1 2024?

Accenture reported a 223% increase in deepfake-related tool trading on dark web forums in Q1 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

How much cost reduction can Accenture's (ACN) new cybersecurity services achieve?

Accenture's new core cybersecurity services powered by mySecurity aim to achieve 30-40% cost reduction through modernization, rationalization, and automation.

How many cybersecurity professionals does Accenture (ACN) employ in 2024?

In 2024, Accenture's cybersecurity workforce grew by more than 30% to exceed 25,000 professionals.

How many security acquisitions has Accenture (ACN) made since 2015?

Accenture has made 19 security acquisitions since 2015, including recent acquisitions of Innotec Security and Mnemo Mexico.