10 Ways That Cybercriminals Are Weaponizing AI

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Cybercriminals are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to power up all kinds of cyberattacks. From deepfake voices to AI-generated emails that mimic real communication patterns, attackers are using advanced technology to bypass traditional security measures and trick even the most cautious users. But AI isn’t just a tool for the bad guys — it’s also a powerful weapon for defenders. Understanding some of the ways bad actors employ AI to refine their attacks highlights why defenders must also adopt AI-powered solutions to stay ahead.

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10 ways AI is helping cybercriminals step up their game 

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Bad actors are always on the hunt for new ways to ensnare new victims. Here are 10 ways that cybercriminals are using AI to power up cyberattacks.

1. AI-enhanced phishing attacks 

Cybercriminals use AI to craft highly convincing phishing emails that mimic the tone and language of legitimate communications. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI can quickly home in on effective touches to personalize messages that target specific individuals, making the attack more likely to succeed. AI also automates phishing campaigns, increasing their scale and evasion capabilities, making them harder to detect. In a recent scam, bad actors sent extremely convincing AI-generated emails that mimic official Netflix communications, informing users that their accounts have been locked and prompting them to update payment information. These emails contain links to fake Netflix sign-in pages designed to steal personal and financial details.

2. Deepfake attacks 

Bad actors are utilizing AI-powered deepfake technology to create hyper-realistic fake videos and audio recordings that impersonate people with whom a target is familiar, like executives or colleagues. These deepfakes are then used to manipulate victims into disclosing sensitive information or transferring funds, exploiting the authenticity of the media to bypass suspicion. In a recent example, a Hong Kong company lost $25M after a finance worker fell for a deepfake phishing scam. Initially suspicious of a fake CFO’s email requesting a transfer, the employee was reassured by a convincing deepfake video call and proceeded with the payment. 

3. AI-powered malware 

Malicious actors are using AI to develop malware that adapts to its environment, learning to bypass traditional security measures. This AI-driven malware can modify its code or behavior to avoid detection by antivirus software and firewalls, making it harder for organizations to protect themselves from cyberattacks.

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4. Automated vulnerability discovery 

Cybercriminals have adopted AI to automate the discovery of vulnerabilities in software, including zero-day exploits. Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast codebases and identify weaknesses much faster than human hackers. These vulnerabilities are then exploited in attacks, enabling bad actors to compromise systems and data with increased speed.

5. AI-driven ransomware 

AI is being used to enhance ransomware attacks by enabling cybercriminals to target the most valuable data and systems within a network. AI can optimize encryption methods for better performance and automate communication with victims, dynamically adjusting ransom demands based on the victim’s behavior to increase the chances of successful extortion.

6. AI-driven credential stuffing attacks 

AI is empowering cybercriminals to conduct more efficient and successful credential stuffing attacks. By automating the process, AI helps attackers test stolen login credentials against multiple platforms at a much faster rate, increasing the likelihood of gaining unauthorized access to accounts.

7. AI for social engineering 

Cybercriminals are using AI to gather and analyze personal information from social media, emails, and other online platforms to build detailed profiles of individuals. This data is then used to craft highly targeted social engineering attacks, such as spear-phishing or pretexting, where AI can predict the victim’s behavior and tailor the scam to be more convincing.   For example, scammers posing as OpenAI representatives targeted international job seekers via Telegram, offering bogus job opportunities. To boost believability, bad actors pretended to be a human resources employee at OpenAI named “Aiden,” making the messages seem personalized. The victims were then deceived into investing in cryptocurrency schemes as the “job,” resulting in substantial financial losses for the workers.

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8. AI-enhanced evasion of security systems 

 AI is helping cybercriminals develop techniques to evade detection by security systems such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS) and antivirus software. By learning how these defenses operate, AI enables bad actors to mimic legitimate traffic patterns or modify their attacks to avoid triggering alarms, making it more difficult for organizations to identify malicious activities.

9. AI in exploit development 

AI is accelerating the development of cyber exploits by automating the process of identifying, analyzing and weaponizing vulnerabilities. By rapidly reversing engineered code and discovering potential exploits, AI enables cybercriminals to target known vulnerabilities with increased efficiency and speed.

10. Exploiting victims’ fascination with AI to deploy hidden malware 

Bad actors are also making the most of the opportunity to sneak in hidden malware offered by the recent surge in interest in AI-enhanced business and creative tools. In a recent example, a Disney employee downloaded an AI tool from GitHub that contained hidden malware. This malicious software granted hackers access to both his personal and professional digital environments, leading to the exposure of sensitive company communications and personal data. The breach resulted in significant financial and privacy repercussions for the individual involved.

It is clear that AI is a powerful resource for cybercriminals. Fortunately, it is a powerful resource for defenders, too. Tools like an AI-driven phishing defense solution harness the technology to analyze vast amounts of data, detect subtle signs of malicious intent and adapt in real time to evolving threats. AI is also empowering bad actors to create new malware at an unprecedented rate, with 75% of security professionals reporting a surge in attacks that most attribute to the rise of generative AI. However, defenders can also implement AI-enhanced tools to defend against these sophisticated attacks, like an AI-enhanced aniphishing solution.

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AI-enhanced phishing protection levels the playing field 

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IT professionals can fight fire with fire by leveraging AI for defense against threats like phishing. Here are five reasons why an AI-driven anti-phishing solution is the smartest way to combat today’s dangerously sophisticated phishing threats.

Cybercriminals are already using AI to attack businesses via email

In a survey by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2) an estimated 80% of IT professionals said that they believe that their organization has already encountered email-based cyberattacks generated by AI.

AI-Generated phishing effectively fools people

People are highly likely to fall for phishing messages created with a generative AI tool like ChatGPT. In a study by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 60% of participants fell victim to AI-automated phishing.

AI has made phishing faster and more sophisticated than ever before.

According to a Forrester report, 80% of cybersecurity decision-makers expect AI to increase the scale and speed of attacks and 66% expected AI “to conduct attacks that no human could conceive of.”

Predictive AI doesn’t fall for cybercriminal social engineering tricks.

Predictive AI uses machine learning (ML) to become smarter with every calculation it makes. AI-powered risk analysis can judge threats effectively without human intervention, accelerating alert investigations and triage by an average of 55%.

In the ISC2 survey, nearly one in five organizations were not ready for or preparing for AI technology either in or interfacing with their operations. That’s a dangerous oversight that must be quickly corrected if organizations hope to stave off today’s sophisticated cyberthreats. One way to make the most of defensive AI is to choose an AI-driven anti-phishing solution like Graphus. Learn more about how your organization could benefit from implementing it today.

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