**4. Discussion and implemented techniques**

The results from the survey are discussed further and analyzed to give feedback accordingly. **Figure 1** below showed that 85% of the respondents came back stating that they have the right cyber security software package in place to protect their business from cyber threats. The percentage who did not have any software in place was 15% of the respondents as shown below in the pie chart.

**Figure 1.** *SMEs having the right cyber security software package.*

*Detection and Minimization of Malware by Implementing AI in SMEs DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108229*

#### **Figure 2.** *SMEs understanding of ML.*

From the 85% of respondents that said "Yes" in **Figure 1**, used a combination of commercial, non-commercial, and open-source software to protect their business. The next question looked at how comfortable SMEs were with the understanding of ML. **Figure 2** shows this breakdown with 10% being "Extremely comfortable" with ML, 15% being "Somewhat comfortable" and 30% being "Neither comfortable nor uncomfortable" with the understanding of ML.

**Figure 2** went on to explain how 25% of SMEs were "Somewhat uncomfortable" with ML and 20% were "Extremely uncomfortable" with the understanding of ML. **Figure 3** answered the question on the awareness of MLCS and its application within the SME business. Nearly 11% were "Extremely Aware" of MLCS software packages within the business, 15% were "Yes, very nearly Aware" and 26% were "Somewhat Aware".

**Figure 3** resulted in 47% of the SMEs "Not Aware at all" of MLCS software packages within their business. The next survey question asked these SMEs if their

**Figure 3.** *Awareness of MLCS software packages within the business.*

#### **Figure 5.**

*SMEs thoughts on AI and ML usage and its affordability.*

existing cyber security software packages supported ML to detect cyber-attacks as shown in **Figure 4**.

**Figure 4** showed that 73.7% of SMEs said they were aware of their cyber security software packages supported ML to detect cyber-attacks. Out of those who said "No" were 26.3% of the respondents. The SMEs reasons were "due to costs" and the fact that they "Did not think that ML will be effective in cyber security and hence did not use or need this feature". The survey then asked SMEs if they knew of the recent Intuit research study in collaboration with the 2019 Gartner CIO survey that showed findings of SMEs already adopting next-generation AI and ML technology for many parts of their business already to combat the increase in cyber-attacks and that these costs were now affordable. **Figure 5** below visualized the results showing that 10% said they were "part of the journey" in attaining this intelligent software and 25% of the respondents were shocked that they could finally afford it.

**Figure 5** showed 15% of SMEs saying they were "Not interested as it's not going to affect their business". A large percentage of 47% had other comments such as "having
