Google gives as part of the AI Defense Initiative Magika AI is available as an open source tool. Magika AI could identify the true nature of a file type to detect malware.

Google has open sourced Magika AI, an AI-powered file identifier. This tool is part of Google’s AI Cyber ​​Defense Initiative, which aims to empower IT network defenders with automated tools. With this, Google wants to give cyber security officers additional ammunition to detect malware in a timely manner.

File identifier

To determine the true content of a submitted file, it is not enough to just look at the extension (e.g. .JPEG). Further checks are required to ensure that the file does not contain malware. This is where Google’s Magika AI can help. This AI-powered tool provided by Google identifies the file type based on the file data. It is already said to be used by Gmail, Google Drive, Chrome’s Safe Browsing and VirusTotal.

Internet security

Cyber ​​attackers have already recognized the power of AI, but cyber security forces will also increasingly use this tool. With a tool like Magika, Google wants to shift the cybersecurity balance and support the first important step, malware analysis and intrusion detection. AI has proven repeatedly that it can be useful in the fight against cyberattacks. According to Google, AI can also be used to generate patches to fix bugs.

According to Google, Magika is said to identify file types 50 percent more accurately than the previous system and is at least 99 percent more accurate in tests. However, the tool is not yet perfect and cannot classify the correct file types in three percent of cases.