As cybercrime continues to evolve, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into online scams has significantly amplified the threat landscape, says Laura Kankaala, head of threat intelligence at Finnish cybersecurity firm F-Secure. With over a decade of experience in the cybersecurity field, Kankaala sheds light on the alarming rise in online scams and the role AI plays in enhancing their effectiveness.
The Evolution of Online Scams
When Laura Kankaala began her career as a white-hat hacker, ransomware attacks were relatively rare. Today, new scams surface daily, making it evident that cybercriminals are leveraging advancements in technology to exploit vulnerabilities more efficiently. “Cybercrime is almost always about money,” Kankaala explains. “Ransomware attacks, where malware renders a system inoperable until a ransom is paid, have become increasingly common.”
- Ransomware attacks involve malware that makes systems inoperable, demanding a ransom for their release.
- Stolen data often ends up for sale on the internet, posing a significant risk to individuals and companies.
Technology’s Role in Increased Vulnerability
Over the years, technology has become integral to our daily lives. From smartphones and remote work to social media and online gaming, our digital footprint has expanded, providing more opportunities for cybercriminals to target us. “Our data is becoming more valuable, and there are more ways that cybercriminals can benefit from stealing it,” Kankaala notes.
One illustrative example is a Finnish TV series where Kankaala’s team demonstrated how easily a scam could compromise an individual’s computer. Despite knowing she would be hacked, the volunteer still fell for the scam. This underscores how sophisticated cybercriminals have become in crafting believable fake profiles and phishing sites to deceive their targets.
New Scams: A Daily Occurrence
Kankaala’s team encounters multiple new scams daily, ranging from Telegram bots that generate malware based on phone numbers’ country codes to Android malware disguised as wedding invitations. “Scams and the whole ecosystem around them are becoming more sophisticated,” she observes. The availability of phishing toolkits and ready-made malware on the internet simplifies the process for would-be scammers, making cybercrime more accessible than ever before.
“Cybercrime is easier to do than ever before, and these toolkits will become more advanced and widely available. It’s a big problem.”
The Role of AI in Cybercrime
AI’s role in cybercrime cannot be overstated. From creating more convincing scams to utilizing deepfake technology for impersonation, AI is a powerful tool in the hands of cybercriminals. “We’re seeing romance scams where scammers use deepfake video filters to pretend to be celebrities,” Kankaala says. These scammers lure victims from dating apps to instant messaging platforms, where they use AI tools to clone voices and create realistic videos, making their scams more believable.
There have even been instances where a CEO’s voice was cloned using AI and used to send a voice note over WhatsApp, requesting money. Such advancements highlight the need for heightened awareness and robust cybersecurity measures to combat these sophisticated threats.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Cybersecurity
Despite the growing challenges, Kankaala remains optimistic about the future of cybersecurity. “Thankfully, cybersecurity is being taken more seriously than it used to be,” she says. The continuous evolution of online scams necessitates ongoing innovation in cybersecurity practices. “Sometimes, I feel like I’m banging my head against a wall, and nothing is changing. But I do think that my work is doing something good every day and helping people.”
As technology advances, so too must our efforts to safeguard against cyber threats. The collaboration between cybersecurity professionals and the broader community is crucial in developing strategies to protect against the ever-evolving landscape of online scams.
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