GENERATIVE AI
A recent report by the National Cyber Security Centre ( NCSC ) has highlighted concerns about the increasing impact of AI on cyberattacks over the next two years . The report emphasises that AI is already being used for malicious cyber activities and is expected to amplify the frequency and severity of cyber threats , particularly ransomware .
The NCSC says that the use of AI lowers the entry barrier for less skilled cyber criminals , including hackers-for-hire and hacktivists . This allows them to conduct more effective access and informationgathering operations . The enhanced access , combined with AI ’ s improved targeting capabilities , is anticipated to contribute to a heightened global ransomware threat in the near term .
“ We must ensure that we both harness AI technology for its vast potential and manage its risks – including its implications on the cyber threat ,” said Lindy Cameron , the NCSC ’ s former CEO .
“ The emergent use of AI in cyber attacks is evolutionary , not revolutionary , meaning that it enhances existing threats like ransomware but does not transform the risk landscape in the near term .”
The emergence of criminal generative AI The report highlights the emergence of criminal Generative AI ( Gen AI ) and Gen AI-as-a-service , enabling cyber criminals to access improved capabilities . However , the effectiveness of Gen AI models is constrained by the quality and quantity of the data on which they are trained .
66 May 2024