Example of a specific cyberattack using AI: Exploiting smart phishing
08/11/2024
Unfortunately, artificial intelligence (AI) is providing cybercriminals with new tools and capabilities that can be exploited to carry out more effective attacks, as we wrote in a previous article on our Novicom Cyber Security blog. This time, we will look at one specific type of cyberattack that combines sophisticated social engineering techniques with the use of AI to create convincing and personalized phishing emails or messages.
Exploiting smart phishing – a specific scenario for this attack
Data Collection
The attacker will use machine learning and big data analytics to gain information about their potential targets, including their job roles, interests, preferences, and social relationships.
The attacker will use machine learning and big data analytics to gain information about their potential targets, including their job roles, interests, preferences, and social relationships.
Personalization
Based on the collected data, AI will create personalized phishing emails that appear trustworthy. These emails can include names, job titles, specific company information, or even previous conversations, which increases the likelihood that the victim will click on a malicious link or open an attachment.
Based on the collected data, AI will create personalized phishing emails that appear trustworthy. These emails can include names, job titles, specific company information, or even previous conversations, which increases the likelihood that the victim will click on a malicious link or open an attachment.
Emotional Manipulation
AI can analyze the collected data and identify emotional themes that influence the selected individuals. In this way, the cyberattacker can create emotionally-charged phishing messages that aim to arouse fear, curiosity, or desire, which significantly increases the probability that the potential victim will click on the malicious link.
AI can analyze the collected data and identify emotional themes that influence the selected individuals. In this way, the cyberattacker can create emotionally-charged phishing messages that aim to arouse fear, curiosity, or desire, which significantly increases the probability that the potential victim will click on the malicious link.
Adaptation and Optimization
In addition, AI can monitor the success and responses to previous phishing campaigns and adapt and optimize its techniques and strategies based on the data it has gathered. In this way, cyber attackers can continuously improve their attacks and increase their success in overcoming security measures.
In addition, AI can monitor the success and responses to previous phishing campaigns and adapt and optimize its techniques and strategies based on the data it has gathered. In this way, cyber attackers can continuously improve their attacks and increase their success in overcoming security measures.
The specific type of cyber attack using AI mentioned above highlights how the combination of sophisticated machine learning and social engineering can lead to the creation of attacks that are difficult to detect and that can have serious consequences for the security of the organization.
To ensure protection against this type of attack, it is necessary to implement a combination of technical security measures, such as advanced antivirus programs and email protection filters. It also seems appropriate to implement network access control (for example, the DDI/NAC solution Novicom ADDNET), which also includes automated device assignment to VLANs. Well-configured network segmentation, ideally combined with advanced network policy settings using dynamic ACL settings on switches, can significantly limit the spread of malicious code in the network. This is very beneficial if other protections fail.
And of course, it is important for companies and organizations to continuously educate employees so that they can recognize suspicious emails and phishing attacks.
Do you want to know more? And how can Novicom and its products help you with network protection in your organization?
Contact us, we will be happy to discuss your situation and propose a solution for complete cybersecurity for your company.