AI Tools Fuel Surge in Global Social Engineering and Cybercrime Attacks

Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance traditional cyberattack methods, including social engineering tactics like phishing and vishing, making these attacks more automated, personalized, and difficult to detect. According to the FBI and cybersecurity reports, phishing remains the most common internet crime, with AI enabling attackers to craft highly convincing messages and automate mass malware production, significantly increasing the scale and speed of attacks. Browsers have become a primary target for stealing credentials, which are then sold on the dark web, contributing to substantial financial losses for businesses. Security experts highlight that despite efforts to build AI safeguards, these protections can be hacked or bypassed, potentially allowing malicious actors to exploit AI systems for harmful purposes. Efforts to mitigate these risks include developing architectural controls to prevent prompt injection attacks and redesigning security frameworks to address the unique vulnerabilities introduced by AI. Industry leaders emphasize the urgent need for global regulatory measures to prevent AI's misuse, comparing the current situation to the early nuclear age due to the technology's powerful and potentially dangerous capabilities.