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How prepared is your establishment for the next wave of digital threats? Cybersecurity firms are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to combat evolving attacks, but criminals are now doing the same thing. Learn more about it here.
Exploiting Large Language Models: A New Frontier for Cybercrime
Large language models (LLMs) are AI systems capable of understanding and generating text that resembles human language. They have transformed the workflow across various industries, from retail to healthcare, through the following:
- Sophisticated chatbots for 24/7 customer support
- Streamlining content creation and editing processes
- Enhancing language translation systems for seamless global communication
- Improving data analysis by summarizing large datasets into concise insights
Unfortunately, the same technology has become a new tool for cybercriminals. Research from Cisco Talos reveals that two popular LLM models, Grok and Mistral AI, were recently jailbroken and used beyond their intended purpose. Some threat actors have taken it a step further by creating such algorithms as DarkGPT, FraudGPT, and WormGPT.
How Are Cybercriminals Exploiting LLMs?
Cybercriminals can utilize AI to fine-tune existing cyberattacks, making them significantly more effective. Here’s how:
Generating Malicious Code
In the past, criminals developed malware by leveraging their coding skills or by purchasing machine learning tools on the dark web. With LLMs, they can effortlessly produce targeted viruses. These models simplify the process, enabling even less skilled hackers to create sophisticated and dangerous programs in minutes.
Social Engineering Attacks
Social engineering attacks trick people into sharing delicate information by exploiting trust. Businesses must stay vigilant since their workers are often the weakest link in cybersecurity defenses.
AI-powered attacks are much more dangerous because of the following:
- Social profiling: Some threat actors utilize sophisticated tools to analyze public data from online forums and social media platforms, thereby gaining insight into their targets. These profiles pave the way for highly tailored attacks that catch people off guard.
- Account Takeover: Finely tuned bots systematically test stolen credentials across multiple online accounts, identify patterns, and generate “valid” login attempts.
- Brute force: Modern algorithms can craft vast amounts of phishing emails and texts, which increases the likelihood of success. These messages often take an urgent tone that tricks users into clicking on malicious links.
Hacking Tutorials
Long gone are the days when most successful hackers had extensive coding knowledge. WormGPT variants can create step-by-step guides on launching cyberattacks, which appeal to inexperienced criminals.
Future-Proofing Your Company Against Emerging Cyber Threats
Why wait for widespread data breaches that ruin your establishment’s reputation? Consider the following proactive steps:
- Regularly update and patch software to address vulnerabilities.
- Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to enhance login security.
- Educate employees on recognizing phishing scams.
- Conduct regular security audits and risk assessments.
- Back up data and test recovery processes.
- Limit access to information based on role requirements.
- Invest in third-party malware detection tools.
LLMs have built-in security features and guardrails to minimize bias and ensure output that aligns with human values and ethics, but they are still a relatively new technology. It always pays to focus on assessing potential vulnerabilities.
