2024 Figures Highlight the Rising Threat of AI-Driven Bots
Nearly 90% of enterprises were targeted in 2024, with half of them losing $10 million or more. The widespread adoption of AI by malicious actors has made it increasingly difficult for security teams to keep up with the sheer volume of attacks. Bots are being designed to mimic human behavior, creating complex emulation frameworks and synthetic identities to carry out account takeovers at scale while evading traditional defenses.
Bots Are Not Just a Nuisance, They’re a Serious Threat
Attackers are using AI to weaponize bots in new ways, with 49% of all internet traffic classified as ‘advanced bots’ designed to mimic human behavior and execute complex interactions, including account takeovers. Over 60% of account takeover attempts in 2024 were initiated by bots, capable of breaching a victim’s credentials in real time using emulation frameworks that mimic human behavior. This is a lethal combination for many enterprises, who often find themselves in firefighting mode with little or no warning.
The Impact on SOC Teams
SOC teams are now on the front line, dealing with the aftermath of malicious bot attacks that force them into firefighting mode. The constant barrage of attacks is overwhelming, with legacy security tech stacks struggling to keep up. “Once amassed by a threat actor, they can be weaponized,” says Ken Dunham, director of the threat research unit at Qualys. “Bots have incredible resources and capabilities to perform anonymous, distributed, asynchronous attacks against targets of choice.”
Real-Time Defense Against Bots
To counter this threat, companies are shifting their focus to real-time defense against bots. This includes integrating online fraud detection (OFD) platforms into the SOC, which can track and contain attacks in real-time. “It’s not just about blocking bots—it’s about restoring fairness,” says Benjamin Fabre, CEO of DataDome. “The company helps deflect similar scalping attacks in milliseconds, distinguishing fans from fraud using multi-modal AI and real-time session analysis.”
Why SOC Teams Need to Stay Ahead of the Threat
SOC teams need to stay ahead of the threat by embracing real-time data and continuous monitoring. This includes using Journey-Time Orchestration (JTO) platforms, which embed fraud defenses throughout each digital session and score risk continuously from login to checkout to post-transaction behavior. JTO replaces single-point fraud checks with real-time, session-wide monitoring to counter behavioral mimicry and context-switching attacks.
Leading the Way in JTO Defense
DataDome, Ivanti, and Telesign are three companies that are establishing an early lead in JTO defense. Each of these companies has progressed to delivering scoring for every user interaction down to the API call, delivering greater contextual insight across every behavior on every device, within each session. They are also automating core security functions while continually improving user experiences.
DataDome: Thinking Like an Attacker in Real Time
DataDome is a category leader in real-time bot defense, with extensive expertise in AI-intensive behavioral modeling. Their platform includes over 85,000 machine learning models delivered simultaneously across 30+ global PoPs. Every web, mobile, and API request that their platform can identify is scored in real time using multi-modal AI that correlates device fingerprinting, IP entropy, browser header consistency, and behavior biometrics.
Ivanti Extends Zero Trust and Exposure Management into the SOC
Ivanti is redefining exposure management by integrating real-time fraud signals directly into SOC workflows. Their platform continuously evaluates device posture and identity behavior, flagging anomalous activity and enforcing least-privilege access mid-session. “Zero trust doesn’t stop at logins,” says Mike Riemer, Ivanti Field CISO. “We’ve extended it to session behaviors including credential resets, payment submissions, and profile edits.”
Telesign’s AI-Driven Identity Intelligence
Telesign is redefining digital trust by bringing identity intelligence at session scale to the front lines of fraud detection. Their APIs deliver real-time risk scores that catch bots and synthetic identities before damage is done. “AI is the best defense against AI-enabled fraud attacks,” says Christophe Van de Weyer, Telesign CEO. “At Telesign, we are committed to leveraging AI and ML technologies to combat digital fraud.”
The Future of SOCs
The future of SOCs belongs in the realm of real-time data and continuous monitoring. Online fraud detection platforms and apps are proving just as critical as APIs, Identity and Access Management (IAM), EDRs, SIEMs, and XDRs. SOC teams are taking greater ownership of validating how consumer transactions are modeled, scored, and challenged. The emergence of AI has brought the importance of trust in the digital world to the forefront, and businesses that prioritize trust will emerge as leaders in the digital economy.
