Key takeaways:
Artificial intelligence helps cybercriminals move faster, but it also helps security teams find new ways to identify vulnerabilities and stop threats.
Cybercriminals often try to trick people, so pause before responding to unexpected requests.
Protect your information by using simple habits — including multifactor authentication, installing software updates and being careful with unexpected messages.
As criminals use AI to target people, cybersecurity fundamentals remain highly effective.
For new Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Ann Barron-DiCamillo, cybersecurity is the ultimate team sport. That’s what helped draw her to a challenging, yet rewarding, field that combines technology, problem-solving and mission-driven work.
Throughout her career, which has spanned both the public and private sectors, Barron-DiCamillo has been at the intersection of cybersecurity, technology and resilience. Prior to joining U.S. Bank, she held cybersecurity leadership roles at Citi and American Express, and earlier served as director of US-CERT, where she worked closely with government and industry partners to strengthen the government’s collective cyber defenses.
Barron-DiCamillo was recently named chair of the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council (FSSCC), where she’ll represent the financial services sector and support coordination with U.S. government and international partners on issues affecting the resilience and security of the financial services ecosystem.
To Barron-DiCamillo, one of the most intriguing aspects of the cybersecurity industry is that it never stands still.
“Each day brings new challenges, technologies and opportunities to make a meaningful impact on organizations, customers and communities,” she said.
“No one organization can manage cybersecurity alone, which makes partnership and information sharing more important than ever,” Barron-DiCamillo said. “At the end of the day, strong cybersecurity is about protecting customers, managing risk appropriately and ensuring resilience when disruptions occur.”
With October’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month providing an opportunity to reflect on the rapidly changing threat landscape, Barron-DiCamillo shared her perspective on the trends shaping the industry, the risks facing financial institutions and the steps people can take to protect their information.
What are some of the biggest trends in cybersecurity, both industry-wide and in banking?
Organizations are increasingly focused on embedding security into how technology is designed, developed and operated rather than relying on manual reviews and after-the-fact controls. We're also seeing rapid adoption of automation and artificial intelligence to help identify vulnerabilities, detect threats and improve operational efficiency. At the same time, cyber resilience continues to be a major priority as organizations prepare for a wide range of operational and cyber disruptions.
What are you seeing as the biggest cyber threats to the banking industry right now?
Financial institutions continue to face a wide range of threats, including fraud, credential theft, ransomware and increasingly sophisticated social engineering attacks. The tactics evolve constantly, but attackers are often looking for opportunities to exploit human trust or capitalize on complexity within technology environments. Defending against these threats requires strong security practices, ongoing vigilance and continuous investment in resilience.
How has AI accelerated these threats?
AI is making it easier for bad actors to scale familiar tactics such as phishing, fraud and social engineering. The technology can increase speed and sophistication, but it hasn't fundamentally changed the need for strong cybersecurity practices. At the same time, AI is creating significant opportunities for defenders by helping identify vulnerabilities, detect threats and improve security operations. Like most technologies, the focus should be on understanding both the opportunities and the risks, while implementing appropriate safeguards.
What are some ways people can keep their information secure from fraud and cybercriminals, especially as they head into the holiday season?
While the threats continue to evolve, the fundamentals remain very effective. Use multifactor authentication whenever it's available, be cautious of unsolicited messages or links, keep your devices and software updated, and monitor your accounts regularly for unusual activity. Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something feels suspicious, take a moment to verify before acting.
For more information about how you can stay cyber safe, visit the U.S. Bank security center.
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