The swift advancement of new Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is anticipated to escalate cyberattacks and reduce the entry barrier for less sophisticated hackers, cautioned Britain’s GCHQ spy agency on Wednesday.
This lowered entry threshold is expected to play a role in the worldwide surge of ransomware attacks, wherein criminals encrypt computer systems and demand a digital ransom, as highlighted in a report by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a division of GCHQ.
The report said, “AI will almost certainly increase the volume and heighten the impact of cyberattacks over the next two years. However, the impact on the cyber threat will be uneven.”
The report indicated that the most significant boost in capability within the realm of cyberspace would benefit opportunistic hackers lacking the necessary skills for sophisticated attacks.
According to the report, at a minimum, the deployment of generative AI tools, such as chatbots, can enhance the creation of convincing emails or documents employed in online phishing campaigns.
On an advanced level, more capable state-backed hackers were “best placed to harness AI’s potential in advanced cyber operations against networks, for example use in advanced malware generation,” said the report, referring to malicious software and computer viruses.
Globally, intelligence agencies are contending with emerging security concerns linked to algorithms capable of generating human-like interactions, known as large language models (LLMs), exemplified by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. These models are increasingly integrated into various services, including sales and customer care, posing challenges for security measures.
The security implications of AI are gradually becoming clearer. Authorities in Britain, the U.S., and Canada has reported instances where hackers have adopted this technology.