In the past year, businesses have used artificial intelligence in many significant ways. Companies are using generative AI chatbots based on the large language model (LLM), such as the very popular ChatGPT from OpenAI, to handle customer service requests, make presentations, run meetings, write emails, and do many other tasks instead of hiring people to do them. Bard, ChatGPT, and many other AI tools have helped companies worldwide make their work easier, faster, and more effective in Cybersecurity.
As you might expect, though, hackers have also been using this cool tech for bad things. At first, it wasn’t easy because ChatGPT and other famous LLMs from Google and Microsoft all have security features that make them impossible to use for illegal activities. Hackers could figure it out by creating their own LLM-based AI tools, like WormGPT.
The Start of AI Tools Built to Hack in Cybersecurity
Cybercriminals made their AI-based tools because they were tired of working hard to get around the security features in popular LLM chatbots. It was first mentioned on the Dark Web in the middle of 2023 that hackers make these robots for stealing data. In the end, word got around, and soon it was being talked about on Telegram. For many of these chatbots, people who wanted to use them had to pay for a membership.
Hackers enjoyed using AI tools because they did most of the work for them, often much faster, better, and more efficiently. Hackers need to know how to do different hacking procedures or go through training to get better at them. But now that AI is doing these jobs, anyone, even those who haven’t learned, can use these tools to launch an online attack.
How hackers use AI tools to break into companies’ Cybersecurity
How to Make Better Phishing Campaigns
Hackers used to write their phishing letters. It is common for these emails to have big grammar and writing mistakes because many of the people who sent them don’t speak English as their first language. These were some of the easiest red flags people used to spot fake emails. But those warning signs don’t work anymore with AI tools like WormGPT.
When hackers use these malicious tools, they only need to say what they want generated as text, and the tools will do it for them. What comes out is fantastic because it’s usually not only free of mistakes but also written, so it sounds convincing. That’s why these fake emails have worked so well.
Getting Information on Victims
It used to be very hard and take a long time to find information about target victims. The process had to be done by hand, which is slow and prone to mistakes. With the rise of AI technology, hackers could get information without having to work very hard, if at all. With AI algorithms, they can quickly gather all the information they need, sort it, and use it in their hacking plan after turning on the tools.
Making Malware AI in Cybersecurity
The first generative AI robots could indeed write code. This approach is constructive for businesses because they can make simple software without hiring an entire IT team. Hackers can now make malware quickly thanks to this function. Hackers used to be very good at software, but now that AI tools are available, even people who aren’t very good at programming can make malware that can cause millions of dollars in damage.
How to Keep Yourself Safe from Cybersecurity Attacks Using AI
AI tools designed for hacking are still in their early stages right now. The worst is yet to come for these dangerous tools. In the future, they will only pose more significant threats. They will be more robust, damaging, and accessible to hackers.
Businesses need to improve their protection right away if they want to stay safe as these changes happen. These are some ways to do that.
- To protect yourself from cyberattacks that use AI, use a protection system based on AI.
- Use Multi-Factor Authentication to make things safer.
- Give regular training on Cybersecurity, including information on online AI threats.
- Keep the security on your network up to date.
- Keep an eye on changes in LLM-based actions, especially those with threat intelligence.
- Make sure you have a clear plan for how to handle incidents.
In a lot of different ways, artificial intelligence has improved our lives. However, businesses need to be extra careful because hackers can use it to do bad things online. For those who need help creating a reliable defense against AI-based threats, we’re here to help. We can have a reliable MSP come over today to make a protection plan just for your business to protect it from any AI-based attack. Just let us know. Also, don’t forget to Download our E-book today, which talks about the cybersecurity role of AI in security.