Phishing attacks have been a constant threat to the cybersecurity world for decades – and now AI phishing attacks are an emerging threat. Hackers have always been on the hunt for new and inventive ways to conduct their campaigns. Now, with the emergence of generative pre-trained transformer language models, the landscape of phishing attacks is about to evolve even more. We’ll explore the rise of these new attacks, the interest in AI among hackers, and how AI can help IT security teams.
AI generated phishing attacks
AI has been making headlines in recent years for its ability to revolutionise various industries. Unfortunately, cybercriminals have also been quick to recognise the potential benefits of AI. AI-generated phishing attacks are the latest trend in cybercrime, and they have the potential to cause significant damage to individuals and organisations.
AI phishing attacks can have the ability to bypass traditional security measures. AI algorithms can analyse large amounts of data to identify patterns and trends that can be used to trick end-users. For example, an AI algorithm can scan public social media profiles to create a highly personalised phishing email. This email could incorporate information about the recipient’s interests, hobbies, and job title.
Additionally, AI-generated phishing attacks have the ability to evolve and adapt over time. Traditional phishing campaigns are usually static and rely on a fixed set of templates. In contrast, AI-generated phishing attacks can learn and improve based on the responses they receive from victims. This means that as the AI algorithm continues to collect data, it can become more sophisticated and difficult to detect.
Interest in AI platforms among hackers
The rise of AI-generated phishing attacks can be attributed in part to the increasing interest in Artificial Intelligence among cybercriminals. Hackers are always looking for new tools and techniques to improve their chances of success – and AI provides a powerful and flexible platform for achieving those goals.
One of the main reasons why hackers are turning to AI is the sheer amount of data that is available. With the proliferation of social media and other online platforms, there is a wealth of information that can be used. Additionally, Artificial Intelligence provides hackers with a way to automate many of the tedious and time-consuming tasks associated with phishing attacks. For example, an AI algorithm can be trained to automatically generate phishing emails and test them against different target audiences. This saves hackers time and resources, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their operations.
How AI platforms can help IT security teams
While the rise of AI phishing attacks may seem daunting, there is a silver lining. AI can also be used to help IT security teams detect and prevent these types of attacks. IT security teams can use AI to analyse incoming emails and look for patterns and indicators of phishing attacks.
In addition to detecting and preventing phishing attacks, AI platforms can also be used to enhance other aspects of cybersecurity. Companies such as Malwarebytes and Sophos are already using Artificial Intelligence and machine learning in their software to aid in security.
As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, it is essential that businesses stay up to date with the latest threats to protect their organisations from harm. Need help in protecting your business from emerging IT security threats? Contact Saxons IT today and speak with a member of our team.
