From Lensa viral app to the image creator StaryaiArtificial intelligence art has been in the news a lot lately, and for good reason. Images that took human artists hours or even days to create can now be created by an AI art creator in a fraction of that time.
However, as artists stage mass protests over the AI-generated images that appear on ArtStation, I am more concerned about the implications AI will have on cybersecurity.
Sure, there are already automated tools that make cybercriminals’ work easier, but imagine if they could launch coordinated campaigns and sophisticated cyberattacks with the push of a button or even worse – if AI could carry out attacks on its own like Skynet.
These concerns are shared by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency and the Finnish National Emergency Supply Agency which issued a New report (Opens in a new tab) (PDF) on this issue co-created with cybersecurity firm WithSecure (ex F-lock).
As AI becomes more prevalent and we start using it for more than just creating avatars or even predicting what The next iPhone and Apple Car could look likeCybercriminals will likely be looking to add this emerging technology to their arsenal. Fortunately, the report found that the use of AI in cyberattacks is still very limited at the moment.
At least we’re safe now
As I mentioned Internet news (Opens in a new tab)The authors of the report found that AI is not really used in cyberattacks today. When it is used, it is limited to Social engineering As a way to get more information about the target.
The future is a bit worrying, as cybercriminals are likely to develop their own AI within the next five years. This AI could be able to find vulnerabilities, gather information about compromised systems or targets or even plan and launch cyberattacks.
In the report, intelligence researcher WithSecure Andy Patel points this out Nation-state hackers They are more likely to be the first to deploy AI in their attacks because they have much more resources than ordinary cyber criminals. However, this technology is “likely to seep into less skilled adversaries and become more prevalent in the threat landscape,” according to Patel.
Although state hackers and cybercriminals will get their hands on AI technology at some point, cybersecurity companies and tech giants like Google are already using AI to detect new threats. As long as their AI models and software are not overridden by hackers, most of these new threats will likely be thwarted. However, we are only human and AI can be used to deceive us fall for scams We usually avoid.
AI-powered phishing attacks are likely to arrive first
When it comes to AI-powered cyberattacks, the report suggests that we will first see AI in phishing and phishing (or phishing) due to the good performance of the technology in impersonation.
Deepfake A great example of using artificial intelligence to impersonate important people such as government officials and celebrities. Now imagine if all the work that went into creating a fake video or photo was put into designing a chatbot posing as an official person either in emails or over the phone. How many people would willingly give up sensitive personal information if they thought that chatbot was someone from law enforcement or even a relative or friend.
AI-powered phishing attacks are certainly a future threat we need to be on the lookout for, but they likely won’t become common anytime soon. At the same time, there are likely signs that cybercriminals are looking to take advantage of artificial intelligence in their attacks before they even begin to carry them out. I have no doubt that governments and corporations around the world are already preparing to deal with this threat when it rears its ugly head.
How to stay safe online
AI-powered cyber attacks are still a long way off, but there’s a lot you can do right now to protect yourself from today’s cyber threats.
Mostly the passwords are weakest link When it comes to security, you must therefore ensure that you use strong, complex, and unique passwords for each of your online accounts. To do this, you can use a file password generator There are a lot of free programs available on the internet.
For additional protection, you may want to consider using one The best password managersAnd the They can store your passwords securely, help you come up with new ones and many can alert you when one of your passwords is exposed in a data breach.
Meanwhile, the The best antivirus software It can help protect your computer Best antivirus for mac It can keep your Apple computers safe and secure Best antivirus apps for Android Worth a look too because there are so many of them Malicious Android apps.
When it comes to phishing and other online scams, you should always carefully examine any emails you receive from unknown senders. Look for spelling and grammatical errors as this is a big red flag and you should also check the sender’s email address as scammers often impersonate big brands like Amazon or PayPal.
While there isn’t much you can do to defend yourself against AI-powered cyberattacks, improving your security will help you build the habits you’ll need to stay safe online in the future.
