The cybersecurity industry has always been plagued by fear, uncertainty, and doubt, but the rise of artificial intelligence has amplified the hype and threats more than ever before. As this powerful technology advances, people are grappling with the unknown, unsure of what is real and what is just hype.
Sensational headlines and exaggerated claims have fueled concerns about the misuse of AI by malicious actors, while raising questions about the effectiveness of AI-based defenses. Business leaders must separate fact from fiction to understand how cybercriminals are actually using AI and examine legitimate AI-based cybersecurity defenses that offer better protection for their cost.
AI has introduced a new level of sophistication and complexity to the threat landscape. Cybercriminals are using AI to enhance their attack capabilities, making it easier and more effective to penetrate networks and steal valuable data. Understanding how AI is used in attacks informs how defenders should leverage AI to respond.
How Cybercriminals Use AI
Cybercriminals are using AI to detect network vulnerabilities more effectively and efficiently and maximize their profits. It makes social engineering more realistic and practical, by classifying targeted data and identifying the most valuable and vulnerable information to steal. AI significantly reduces the technical barriers to cybercrime, making it much more effective to identify and exploit access routes into well-defended networks and steal the most valuable and liquid information to convert it into cash.
One of the most important ways malicious actors exploit AI is through social engineering. They exploit human psychology and vulnerabilities such as trust, fear, and authority. Generative AI models like ChatGPT can produce highly convincing phishing emails and websites, mimicking the communication styles and tones of legitimate individuals or organizations.
Deepfake technology, powered by AI, can create fake videos or audio recordings that impersonate real people, tricking victims into revealing sensitive information. Between 70 and 90 percent of successful cyberattacks rely on social engineering. Recent Proofpoint Study found that AI-generated phishing emails had a success rate of over 60%, compared to just 3% for traditional phishing attempts.
AI is also being used to develop more evasive and sophisticated strains of malware. By analyzing defensive responses and iteratively evolving their approach, cybercriminals can create malware that constantly changes its code and behavior, making it harder for traditional signature-based antivirus software to detect. In one high-profile case, the Emotet Banking Trojan used AI to evade detection and spread to more than 1.6 million systems in 194 countries.
AI is also being used for adversarial attacks, to automate and scale various attack vectors with minimal human effort. Password cracking, vulnerability scanning, and exploitation can be accelerated and amplified, allowing attackers to launch more frequently and at greater scale. AI can also analyze massive amounts of data and identify potential targets or entry points, making attack prioritization more effective.
One of the most insidious applications of AI by cybercriminals is data and intellectual property theft. AI algorithms can sift through vast amounts of data and identify valuable intellectual property, trade secrets, or sensitive information. This allows cybercriminals to prioritize and exfiltrate only the most valuable assets that cause the greatest financial and competitive damage to organizations.
Defense needs AI to keep pace
To counter these threats, organizations must adopt AI-powered cybersecurity solutions that can match or exceed the capabilities of their adversaries. AI-powered web and email security solutions can analyze content, sender behavior, and software characteristics to identify and block phishing attempts and malware more effectively than traditional signature-based methods. By continuously learning and adapting to new threats, these solutions can stay ahead of the curve, providing additional protection against ever-evolving attack vectors.
Some AI-based endpoint protection solutions use deep learning technology to detect and respond to threats in real time. Instead of relying on signatures, it adapts over time, learning what is and isn’t normal endpoint behavior, allowing it to detect new threats and unknown attack methods.
Security teams are often overwhelmed by the volume of alerts, logs, and routine activities. AI delivers the same increased efficiency to cybersecurity defenses as it does to attackers. AI-powered solutions automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks such as log monitoring, alert triage, patch management, and reporting, allowing cybersecurity professionals to focus on more critical and strategic functions while eliminating the risk of human error in detection activities. AI can streamline and optimize these processes, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of human error.
Cybercriminals continue to refine their tactics with AI, so businesses must respond with AI-powered email and web security solutions. These advanced systems aren’t just a defense; they’re a strategic advantage, as they can analyze content, sender behavior, and software characteristics to identify and block phishing attempts and malware more effectively than traditional signature-based methods. By continually learning and adapting to new threats, AI-powered phishing and malware detection solutions can stay ahead of the curve, providing additional protection against these evolving attack vectors.
The rise of AI in cybercrime is a reality that cannot be ignored. By adopting AI-powered defense solutions and a proactive approach to cybersecurity, organizations can stay ahead of the curve and protect their operations, reputation, and bottom line.
