When ChatGPT was released to the public in late 2022, it opened people’s eyes to how easily generative AI could churn out vast amounts of human-seeming text from simple prompts. This quickly caught the attention of criminals, who soon began using large language models to produce malicious emails—both the untargeted spam kind and more sophisticated, targeted attacks designed to steal money and sensitive information.
Since then, cybercriminals have adopted AI tools to supercharge their operations. They’ve used the technology to do everything from composing phishing emails and creating hyperrealistic, convincing deepfake clips to tweaking malicious software (commonly known as malware) so it is harder to detect. They can also use AI to automate the search for vulnerabilities in networks and computer systems, quickly generate ransom notes, and analyze vast swathes of stolen data to pinpoint what’s most valuable.
Right now, cybersecurity researchers are optimistic that sloppier attacks can be thwarted through basic defenses, highlighting just how important it is to keep on top of software updates and stick to network security protocols. How well positioned we’ll be to ward off more sophisticated attacks in the future is much less clear.
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