Adversaries Leverage AI for Vulnerability Exploitation, Augmented Operations, and Initial Access


Since our February 2026 report on AI-related threat activity, Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has continued to track a maturing transition from nascent AI-enabled operations to the industrial-scale application of generative models within adversarial workflows. This report, based on insights derived from Mandiant incident response engagements, Gemini, and GTIG’s proactive research, highlights the dual nature of the current threat environment where AI serves as both a sophisticated engine for adversary operations and a high-value target for attacks. We explore the following developments: Vulnerability Discovery and Exploit Generation; AI-Augmented Development for Defense Evasion; Autonomous Malware Operations; AI-Augmented Research and IO: Obfuscated LLM Access; Supply Chain Attacks.

Read more…
Source: Google Threat Intelligence Group


Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox


Related:

  • Iran’s RampantKitten spy crew were snooping on expats and dissidents for six years

    September 18, 2020

    Infosec outfit Check Point says it has uncovered a six-year Iranian cyber-spying campaign directed at expats and dissidents worldwide. The Iranian crew, nicknamed RampantKitten, used a variety of infostealers to help themselves to targets’ files, as well as extracting passwords from management software KeePass and breaking into Telegram Desktop installations. A malicious Android app posing as a ...

  • Patient dies after ransomware attack reroutes her to remote hospital in Germany

    September 17, 2020

    A woman seeking emergency treatment for a life-threatening condition died after a ransomware attack crippled a nearby hospital in Duesseldorf, Germany, and forced her to obtain services from a more distant facility, it was widely reported on Thursday. German authorities are investigating the unknown perpetrators on suspicion of negligent manslaughter, the Associated Press, German news outlet ...

  • US charges Iranian hackers for breaching US satellite companies

    September 17, 2020

    Three Iranian nationals have been indicted on charges of hacking US aerospace and satellite companies, the US Department of Justice announced today. Federal prosecutors accused Said Pourkarim Arabi, Mohammad Reza Espargham, and Mohammad Bayati of orchestrating a years-long hacking campaign on behalf of the Iranian government. The hacking spree started in July 2015 and targeted a broad ...

  • APT41 Operatives Indicted as Sophisticated Hacking Activity Continues

    September 17, 2020

    Five alleged members of the APT41 threat group have been indicted by a federal grand jury, in two separate actions that were unsealed this week. Meanwhile, the Department of Treasury also imposed sanctions on individuals and organizations associated with Iran-linked APT39. APT41 (a.k.a. Barium, Winnti, Wicked Panda or Wicked Spider) is known for nation-state-backed cyber-espionage activity as ...

  • Maze ransomware now encrypts via virtual machines to evade detection

    September 17, 2020

    The Maze ransomware operators have adopted a tactic previously used by the Ragnar Locker gang; to encrypt a computer from within a virtual machine. In May, we previously reported that Ragnar Locker was seen encrypting files through VirtualBox Windows XP virtual machines to bypass security software on the host. The virtual machine would mount a host’s drives ...

  • Mozi Botnet Accounts for Majority of IoT Traffic

    September 17, 2020

    The Mozi botnet, a peer-2-peer (P2P) malware known previously for taking over Netgear, D-Link and Huawei routers, has swollen in size to account for 90 percent of observed traffic flowing to and from all internet of things (IoT) devices, according to researchers. IBM X-Force noticed Mozi’s spike within it’s telemetry, amid a huge increase in overall ...