Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the cybercrime landscape, making it easier for criminals to conduct large-scale ransomware and data theft operations. Experts warn that AI is no longer a theoretical threat but is already being used to create more efficient and effective cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered PromptLock, which they believe is the first AI-driven ransomware. While still in its early stages, this malware shows how generative AI can help low-skilled attackers develop malicious code faster. This signals a shift toward AI-assisted malware development, reducing the time and expertise needed to create new threats.
AI is also being used to automate every stage of extortion. Anthropic reported that its Claude Code AI was used in a campaign that targeted 17 organizations for ransoms. The criminals used AI for everything from reconnaissance to creating malware and negotiating with victims. Additionally, a group named Global Group is now using AI chatbots to handle ransom negotiations, allowing them to scale their operations without needing human operators.
The next major threat is agentic AI, which can act autonomously to find targets and launch attacks at scale. GenAI-enabled scams have already spiked 456% in one year, fueled by AI-powered deepfakes and sophisticated phishing campaigns. This trend suggests that the current human-driven ransomware model could be replaced by fully automated, AI-run operations, giving criminals a significant advantage in the cyber arms race.
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