Falcon Cloud Security Identifies AI-Driven Packages in Container Images

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries, but with this innovation come new security challenges as threat actors explore AI’s powerful capabilities. They’re adopting new techniques, targeting AI models, injecting malicious code into AI processes, and exploiting vulnerabilities in AI-related software packages. 

Malicious AI-related software packages are being embedded in container images, sometimes without security teams realizing it. By embedding malicious AI components, adversaries can manipulate model behavior, exfiltrate sensitive data processed by AI models, or create backdoors that allow persistent access to cloud environments. These attacks can lead to data poisoning, intellectual property theft, or unauthorized control over AI-powered applications.

In this blog, we share how CrowdStrike Falcon® Cloud Security secures cloud workloads that leverage AI-related packages, with an in-depth look at a new container image assessment feature that detects how AI technologies are used and if images have AI-related vulnerabilities. 

Fight the Hidden Risks of Malicious AI

Security teams struggle to answer critical questions related to AI: Do my base images leverage AI? Which running containers use AI-powered packages? Are AI-related software components exposing vulnerabilities? Until now, answering these questions required extensive manual effort. 

The latest feature in Falcon Cloud Security’s image scanning process provides insight into how cloud workloads may leverage AI technologies. When images are scanned through registry connection, CI/CD pipeline integration, Image Assessment at Runtime, or with our Self-hosted Registry Assessment (SHRA) tool, a new step detects AI-related packages and vulnerabilities.

This release delivers comprehensive cloud AI workload security so organizations can identify AI-related software packages in container images from build to runtime, detect vulnerabilities in these workloads, take immediate action, and gain insights into the prevalence of AI across images and running workloads. This equips security teams to proactively manage AI risks before they escalate into breaches, data leaks, or compliance violations.

Watch It in Action

Comprehensive AI Security: From Build to Runtime

With this release, Falcon Cloud Security protects cloud AI workloads at every stage of the container lifecycle. Below are examples of Falcon Cloud Security features built to defend against the risks of malicious AI:

• Registry scanning: Falcon Cloud Security automatically assesses container images stored in registries, providing an early security checkpoint at the build phase. This includes detecting AI-related software packages that might be embedded in base images, ensuring organizations have visibility into all AI components before they reach production environments.
• CI/CD pipeline integration: Organizations can detect vulnerabilities and AI-related risks at the development stage, reducing security debt before production.

• SHRA: For organizations with strict data privacy requirements, SHRA allows container images to be assessed locally, ensuring sensitive workloads are evaluated without leaving the organization’s environment. This is particularly crucial for AI workloads, as it helps organizations maintain strict control over proprietary AI models and datasets, preventing unauthorized access and helping reach compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Image Assessment at Runtime (IAR): This ensures container images are assessed as soon as they are launched on a Kubernetes or cloud environment, extending security coverage to the entire container lifecycle. By evaluating container images at runtime, IAR provides visibility into AI-related risks and vulnerabilities, offering protection against emerging threats.

With this comprehensive approach, Falcon Cloud Security ensures cloud workloads remain secure, whether in development or production.

Gain Control over AI in the Cloud

With AI adoption accelerating, organizations can no longer afford to operate in the dark. Falcon Cloud Security delivers the visibility and protection needed to secure AI workloads with confidence by enabling security teams to identify where AI exists in their cloud workloads, eliminate vulnerabilities in AI-related packages before they become attack vectors, and strengthen AI-powered security defenses with real-time detection and response. CrowdStrike’s latest innovation ensures that security teams remain one step ahead, proactively mitigating AI-driven threats before they can impact cloud workloads.

Additional Resources

• Learn more about the Falcon Cloud Security AI security posture management (AI-SPM) feature by clicking here.
• See why Forrester named CrowdStrike a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Cloud Workload Security, Q1 2024.
• Learn why Frost & Sullivan has named CrowdStrike a “Leader” in the 2024 Frost Radar™: Global Cloud Workload Protection Platform.