The UK’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) will increase the threat of Ransomware globally over the next two years.
In a report entitled The short-term impact of AI on cyberthreat assessmentorganizations and individuals were encouraged to recognize the situation and take preventative measures.
NCSC – part of GCHQ (similar to the US NSA), the UK’s intelligence, security and intelligence service. cyber security agency – takes the position that AI will almost certainly contribute directly to increasing the quantity and impact of cyber attacks move forward.
The study reveals that cybercriminals and hackers, operating at a lower skill level, can effectively take advantage of advances in AI to further penetrate their operations. This includes better targeting of victims, increasing the threat of ransomware, identified as the most serious threat to businesses and groups in the UK.
Importantly, AI is likely to facilitate the discovery of vulnerable devices, reflecting the gains that threat actors can make.
James Babbage, director general of threats at the UK’s National Crime Agency, highlighted the dangers of ransomware as a national security threat, which will be exacerbated by advances in AI:
“AI services reduce barriers to entry, thereby increasing the number of cybercriminals, and will enhance their capabilities by improving the scale, speed and effectiveness of existing attack methods. Fraud and child sexual abuse are also particularly likely to be affected.
UK response to cyber threats
In response to the threat, the UK government has injected £2.6 billion as part of its cybersecurity strategy to increase its resilience to hostile acts, while the NCSC and private industry are already providing the service with l AI, to strengthen cybersecurity defenses through an enhanced threat. detection and security by design.
Lindy Cameron, CEO of the NCSC, commented on the risk and reward picture presented by AI:
“The emerging use of AI in cyberattacks is evolutionary, not revolutionary, meaning it augments existing threats like ransomware but does not transform the risk landscape in the near term. While the NCSC is doing everything in its power to ensure AI systems are secure by design, we urge organizations and individuals to follow our ransomware and cybersecurity hygiene guidance to strengthen their defenses and increase their resilience to cyberattacks.
Image: Dall-E
