The underground market for criminally oriented generative AI has moved beyond the early hype surrounding ‘malicious chatbots.’ The gradual integration of AI as a productivity layer within cybercrime operations has become the dominant story, indicating that while the potential for fully autonomous AI hacking systems is possible, attackers are not embracing them as expected. Instead, threat actors are increasingly using AI to accelerate routine, but operationally significant, tasks to scale their operations. Drafting phishing lures, profiling targets, debugging code, generating forged documents, modifying malware, translating victim communications, and processing stolen data at scale were once time-consuming activities that AI has made significantly easier. AI does not replace cybercriminals; it lowers friction, increases speed, and expands the range of actors able to perform tasks that previously required more time, skill, or external support.
Read more…
Source: Rapid7 News
Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- Twilio data breach gets a whole lot worse as it confirms hackers accessed Authy user phone numbers
July 4, 2024
The recent data breach affecting Twilio may have taken a rather unfortunate extra turn after new reports claim the hackers can single out Authy users from the archives. The infamous ShinyHunters hacking collective recently said it stole 33 million phone numbers from Twilio, and the company has now revealed that the attackers were able to determine ...
- Europol coordinates global action against criminal abuse of Cobalt Strike
July 3, 2024
Law enforcement has teamed up with the private sector to fight against the abuse of a legitimate security tool by criminals who were using it to infiltrate victims’ IT systems. Older, unlicensed versions of the Cobalt Strike red teaming tool were targeted during a week of action coordinated from Europol’s headquarters between 24 and 28 June. ...
- The Hidden Danger of PDF Files with Embedded QR Codes
July 3, 2024
The SonicWall Capture Labs threat research team has been observing PDF files with QR codes being abused by malware authors to deceive users for a long time. QR codes are increasingly popular due to their versatility and ease of use. Beyond payments and feedback, QR codes have a wide range of applications across various industries such ...
- Apple IDs Targeted in US Smishing Campaign
July 2, 2024
Phishing actors continue to target Apple IDs due to their widespread use, which offers access to a vast pool of potential victims. These credentials are highly valued, providing control over devices, access to personal and financial information, and potential revenue through unauthorized purchases. Additionally, Apple’s strong brand reputation makes users more susceptible to trusting deceptive communications ...
- Prudential Financial data breach impacts 2.5 million people
July 2, 2024
In February 2024, Prudential Financial reported it had fallen victim to a ransomware attack. The attack was discovered one day after it started, but not before some 2.5 million people had been impacted by the resulting data breach. As one of the largest insurance companies in the US, Prudential employs 40,000 people worldwide and reported revenues ...
- Ukrainian intelligence cyberattack cripples telecom networks in Russian-occupied territories
July 2, 2024
Mirtelecom subscribers were unable to access the network in occupied Crimea and in occupied parts of Zaporizhzhya and Kherson oblasts. Another Russian provider, Farline, suffered significant damage, primarily in Crimea. Similar attacks continued the following month, targeting propaganda media servers, local occupation authorities, contact centers, registration and traffic control systems on the Kerch Bridge, critical airport ...