Hackers are increasingly exploiting freely available artificial intelligence (AI) tools to launch complex cyberattacks that can cause significant damage and disruption, a senior FBI official told reporters during a call on Friday.
According to multiple media outlets, the official also warned that nation-state adversaries, like China, are targeting US-based AI companies and their products to develop similar AI programs and conduct underhand foreign operations.
These revelations come days after the FBI’s Director Christopher Wray spoke at a Cyber Threat Summit and highlighted the bureau’s stance on AI, saying it is both a blessing and a curse for law enforcement.
Wray “warned that cybercriminals are weaponizing artificial intelligence,” and “the resulting threat will only worsen as machine-learning models [like OpenAI’s ChatGPT] become increasingly sophisticated.”
Wray noted that “the Chinese government is particularly well-positioned to use the increasing powers of AI and machine learning against the United States, especially in conjunction with data it has stolen from the United States.”
In recent months, cybersecurity experts have warned about the rise in AI-assisted voice scams and the potential for a new breed of AI-created cyber threat (i.e. BlackMamba). We’ve also reported on ChatGPT-like tools, like FraudGPT, that allow cybercriminals to conduct convincing phishing attacks.
On the other hand, several organizations, including Microsoft and Sophos, are exploring the possibility of integrating AI technology into cybersecurity tools.
AI Tools are Powering New Age Cyberattacks
During the call with journalists, the unidentified FBI official explained that hackers are increasingly using open-source AI tools and frameworks to create and enhance malware, social engineering, and disinformation campaigns.
AI tools can allow hackers to automate and scale up their attacks, evade detection, and impersonate legitimate entities. For example, AI tools can be used to generate realistic-looking fake content, such as deepfakes and mimic voices.
“Tools from AI are readily and easily applied to our traditional criminal schemes, whether ransom requests from family members, or abilities to generate synthetic content or identities online, attempt to bypass banking or other financial institutions’ security measures, attempts to defraud the elderly, that’s where we’ve seen the largest part of the activity,” the FBI official said.
To address these concerns, President Joe Biden convened seven of the world’s leading AI companies (including OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, and Google) at the White House on July 21 to discuss the risks AI technology poses and identify ways to protect the rights and safety of Americans.
Among other things, the companies have committed to developing “robust technical mechanisms,” such as a watermarking system, to determine when content is AI-generated. They also vowed to perform more extensive security testing for their AI systems.
How to Protect Yourself from AI-Enabled Cyberattacks
We recommend you learn how to spot AI-generated content, implement strong cybersecurity practices, keep your devices up-to-date, and report any suspicious or malicious activity to the FBI or other relevant authorities.
We also recommend using a comprehensive cybersecurity solution to protect your systems from threats. We’re constantly testing and ranking cybersecurity solutions. Check out our article on the best security suites for internet privacy and safety to see how we rank popular cybersecurity tools available today.
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