When airplanes were first discovered people rejoiced over the prospect of finally flying (a dream they dreamt since they came up with the myth of Dedalus and Icarus). What they didn’t consider (at least not initially) were the bombers capable of sowing death far behind the enemy lines. This invention, one of the greatest in history, erased the difference between civilian life and the frontline in modern warfare and plunged the world into a new era of death and destruction.
This is a cycle of every invention.
AI is undoubtedly a great invention of our time, but its capabilities are both mesmerizing and terrifying.
We’re not talking about the idea of robots taking over either, at least not when there are some far more immediate and realistic threats to worry about.
To explain exactly what we have in mind, here’s why modern cybersecurity may not be ready for the threat of AI.
- AI malware
First, it’s important that we acknowledge the new threat of AI malware that has just appeared on the cybersecurity horizon. There are too many AI applications for malware, and here are some of them.
First, you have an AI that automatically generates code for malware programs. This allows the creation of malicious code to be faster and more efficient. This means that cybercriminals no longer need advanced technical skills to launch sophisticated attacks. AI simplifies the process and gives even less experienced hackers the ability to produce dangerous malware at an alarming rate.
AI also excels at scanning vast amounts of data, which means that it helps hackers identify potential targets more easily. It can sift through online profiles, company records, and other digital footprints in order to find individuals or organizations that are more vulnerable.
Once malware is created, AI can help spread it more efficiently.
This is why, in order to stay safe, your run-of-the-mill antivirus will no longer cut it. According to tech expert Krishi Chowdhary, in order to stay safe in 2024, you have to invest in leading antivirus solutions. Chowdhary notes that some of these tools now use artificial intelligence to provide robust virus protection, block malicious sites, and remove existing malware from your devices.
- Evolving threats are too fast to contain
With AI, attackers can create new threats at a rapid pace. The time it takes to develop and deploy malware (or other forms of attacks) is significantly reduced. This means cybersecurity teams are constantly playing catch-up and struggling to keep up with the fast-evolving nature of AI-generated cyber threats.
This is hardly a surprise. All industries are slow to adapt to this AI revolution, ranging from accounting to all the way up.
Traditional cybersecurity defenses often rely on identifying specific signatures or patterns of known attacks. The problem with AI is that it’s constantly changing the nature of these threats. This means that signatures quickly get outdated because AI can modify malware to avoid detection by signature-based systems. This would render many of the current security solutions completely ineffective.
AI adapts faster than current detection methods, and that’s the cybersecurity truth that we will have to accept in 2024. Security teams will do their hardest to implement defenses, only to find them quickly bypassed as AI modifies its tactics. They’ll always be a step behind.
- Deepfake-based phishing attacks
The scariest part of it all is that deepfake technology, powered by AI, can create highly convincing fake audio and video. This allows hackers to impersonate trusted individuals like CEOs or even family members during these phishing attacks. The realism is uncanny, and while you may be able to tell it’s AI-generated if asked, it is a lot harder if you’re not accepting it.
With AI-generated deepfakes, some of the traditional methods of spotting phishing attacks won’t work. For instance, you may no longer be able to spot inconsistencies in tone or visual quality. While this is still possible, these detection methods become much less reliable.
As a result, the overall trust in communication channels may erode. You see, as deepfakes become more sophisticated, people may begin to doubt the authenticity of video calls, voice messages, or emails. This could happen even in scenarios where messages in these mediums are completely reliable.
Since deep fakes can now convincingly impersonate high-level individuals like executives or celebrities, this might allow hackers to bypass security protocols that rely on identity verification.
- The use of AI in social engineering
AI has the capacity to analyze vast amounts of personal data in order to craft highly personalized social engineering attacks. This data might include social media activity, browsing history, or even purchase habits. With this level of personalization, phishing emails, and scams become more convincing.
You see, one line of defense you have against hackers is that they don’t know you personally. However, imagine someone trying to scam you after your best friend revealed all your deepest secrets, desires, and triggers. As it happens, in 2024, there’s no one who knows you better than your browser and your devices, and a modern AI tool has access to all of this data.
Generative AI is incredibly proficient at mimicking styles, which means that after getting the tiniest sample of your chat with a close friend, it will be able to mimic their voice. If they have a bit more information, it will be near-impossible to tell them apart (without actively trying to).
With AI, hackers can launch social engineering attacks on a massive scale. By automating the process of crafting and sending fake messages, AI allows attackers to target thousands or even millions of people simultaneously.
- AI-driven zero-day exploits
AI can scan large amounts of code quickly and efficiently to identify previously unknown vulnerabilities. These are the so-called zero-day exploits, and your best hope is that antivirus developers will discover them before hackers do. In the past, this was fairly reliable; people suffered only because they weren’t quick enough to update their software. With AI, it’s anyone’s game.
One of the key challenges in the field of cybersecurity is the time it takes to patch vulnerabilities. An AI can discover and exploit these vulnerabilities almost instantly. This often happens before developers are even aware of the issue. It also gives hackers a significant advantage because it allows them to attack the system while it’s still vulnerable.
AI-driven zero-day exploits can be deployed against systems that haven’t yet implemented the necessary security measures. A lot of organizations are already behind on their updates, but with zero-day exploits, this problem becomes even bigger.
In a way, AI technology allows hackers to outpace the traditional patching cycle. As a result, cybersecurity teams are constantly trying to catch up, but even if they do everything perfectly, there’ll always be a window of opportunity for hackers.
AI is a tool that can be used for both good and bad
While AI has opened up exciting possibilities for innovation and growth, it also presents a significant challenge to modern cybersecurity. The ability of AI to rapidly generate malware, adapt to defenses, and exploit vulnerabilities faster than traditional security measures can respond makes it a formidable tool in the hands of cybercriminals. As AI-powered threats become more sophisticated, cybersecurity methods will struggle to keep up.