Attacks are now incorporating AI into their arsenal of weapons, making the work of security teams even more difficult
A recent article from Help Net Security claims that “AI-powered phishing attacks are fooling even the most alert users.” Meanwhile, SlashNext’s The State of Phishing 2024 report identifies a staggering 8,56% increase in malicious emails over the past 12 months and a 4,151% increase in malicious emails since the launch of ChatGPT.
“This increase can be attributed to AI-driven automation adopted by cybercriminals, who create and send phishing emails by learning from massive datasets of previous emails. Cybercriminals using AI convincingly mimic the style, look and tone of corporate communications, increasing the chances of deceiving recipients,” said Caio Sposito, country manager for Brazil at Arcserve, the world’s most experienced provider of immutable backup, recovery and storage solutions for unified data resilience against ransomware.
After noting that phishing is just one of several types of cybercrime that are on the rise, Caio Sposito emphasizes that companies need to adopt a multilayered approach to data protection, including the adoption of comprehensive and effective security programs. “All company employees need to understand this multi-threat scenario, which also involves other dangers such as malware, ransomware and social engineering,” warns the executive.
Details such as using strong and different passwords for each platform, and using encryption and secure methods for data transmission are of the utmost importance, as is the adoption of specific cybersecurity policies, including the use of personal and company devices. The worst-case scenario should also be anticipated, defining who should be informed and how to proceed in the event of a suspected security breach, ransomware attack or other cyber incident.
“Since IT teams are often overwhelmed, it may be an interesting alternative to outsource internal security training,” recommends the executive, who believes that implementing immutable storage is vital. This feature allows backups to be saved in the write-once-read-many (Worm) format, in which data is written only once, preventing unauthorized users from making any changes or deletions.
“AI will continue to evolve, constantly generating threats and vulnerabilities. Successfully addressing the new challenges presented by cybercriminals involves planning and implementing a solid security strategy, adopting defenses that also incorporate AI-driven capabilities,” predicts Caio Sposito.
