The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a division of Britain’s GCHQ spy agency, issued a warning on Wednesday, stating that the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will likely result in a surge in cyberattacks.
The agency anticipates that the lower entry barriers facilitated by these advancements will empower less sophisticated hackers to inflict digital harm, contributing to a global increase in ransomware attacks.
In a report, the NCSC highlighted the uneven impact of AI on the cyber threat landscape, emphasizing that the most significant boost in capability would benefit opportunistic hackers lacking the skills for more advanced attacks.
Generative AI tools, such as chatbots, were identified as a potential method for creating more convincing elements in online phishing campaigns.
At an advanced level, state-backed hackers were identified as being well-positioned to leverage AI’s potential for sophisticated cyber operations, including the generation of advanced malware.
The report noted that generative AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT can produce human-like interactions and are increasingly integrated into various services, raising concerns about potential security issues tied to these large language models (LLMs).
The security implications of AI are still being explored, with authorities in Britain, the U.S., and Canada acknowledging the adoption of AI by hackers.
As AI advances, intelligence agencies worldwide are grappling with the challenges posed by using algorithms that can generate convincingly human-sounding interactions, leading to increased vigilance in monitoring and addressing potential cyber threats.
