Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the landscape of social engineering attacks, introducing new challenges for cybersecurity. Cybercriminals are leveraging AI to create highly personalized phishing emails by analyzing vast amounts of publicly available information, including social media profiles and professional networks. This approach, known as spear-phishing, has become more effective, with AI-powered attacks achieving success rates significantly higher than traditional methods. For instance, AI-generated spear-phishing emails have been found to achieve click-through rates of 54%, compared to those crafted by human experts. ediscoverytoday.com
Moreover, AI is enhancing the realism of social engineering tactics through the use of deepfake technology. Attackers can now generate convincing audio and video impersonations of trusted individuals, such as company executives, to deceive employees into authorizing fraudulent transactions or disclosing sensitive information. This advancement underscores the need for organizations to adopt comprehensive defense strategies, including AI-based threat detection systems and robust employee training programs, to mitigate the risks associated with AI-driven social engineering attacks. networkintelligence.ai