AI has been a game-changer, not only in advancing technology but also in fueling a significant rise in cyber threats. According to recent research by Fortinet, the impact of artificial intelligence on cybercriminal activities is profound and concerning. Automated scans have surged to an alarming rate of 36,000 per second globally, marking a 16.7% year-on-year increase.
The study sheds light on how threat actors are leveraging AI to target vulnerable digital assets with unprecedented efficiency. These bad actors are strategically “shifting left
” towards exploiting weaknesses in technologies such as Remote Desktop Protocol, IoT systems, and Session Initiation Protocols much earlier in the attack cycle.
In addition to automated scanning activities, the proliferation of infostealers poses a severe risk to organizations worldwide. The research uncovered a staggering 500% surge in available logs from compromised systems, resulting in over 1.7 billion stolen credentials circulating on the dark web. This flood of stolen data has fueled a sharp uptick in targeted cyberattacks against both businesses and individuals.
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Cybercriminals are scaling faster than ever, using AI and automation to gain the upper hand,
” emphasized Derek Manky, Chief Security Strategist and Global Vice President of Threat Intelligence at FortiGuard Labs.
The report highlights that cybercriminals are capitalizing on these stolen login details for malicious purposes – evidenced by a 42% increase in compromised credentials being offered for sale. Interestingly, although zero-day attacks represent only a small portion of threats, hackers increasingly rely on “
living off the land” vulnerabilities to evade detection.
Moreover, ransomware attacks have become more pervasive, with Ransomware-as-a-Service models expanding rapidly. Various groups like Ransomhub and LockBit 3.0 have emerged as prominent players in this space targeting organizations globally. Notably, the United States bears the brunt of these attacks at 61%, followed by the UK at 6%, indicating a clear trend against American entities.
Experts emphasize that traditional security measures are no longer sufficient to combat these evolving threats effectively.
Defenders must adopt proactive strategies driven by intelligence incorporating AI technologies alongside zero trust architectures and continuous threat exposure management.
As cyber threats continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace fueled by AI advancements, it is imperative for organizations and individuals alike to stay vigilant and prioritize robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard against potential breaches and data theft.
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