The Rise of AI-Generated Phishing: Inside the Tactics, Risks, and Countermeasures for ChatGPT and BERT-Enabled Email Attacks

As technology advances, so do the tactics of cybercriminals. A recent development is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in phishing attacks, which are designed to trick people into releasing sensitive information or downloading malware. Researchers have uncovered a new phishing email campaign that employs AI-powered language models, specifically ChatGPT and Google BERT, to create sophisticated email attacks.

The Rise of AI-Based Phishing Attacks

Threat actors have increasingly been relying on AI since November 2022. AI-based phishing is particularly worrisome because malicious actors can use machine learning models to create convincing scams that can be difficult to identify. They can imitate the writing styles of real people, leading targets to believe that they are receiving legitimate emails.

New phishing email campaign using ChatGPT and Google BARD

The new phishing campaign that researchers discovered is an example of an AI-based phishing attack that uses language models to generate convincing emails. ChatGPT and Google Bard are popular AI language models for text generation. These language models are fed with prior text inputs and use them to predict and generate new content based on the provided prompts.

AI-based security platforms like Trustify

As AI-based phishing attacks become more prevalent, organizations need to remain vigilant and take proactive steps to protect themselves. AI-based email security platforms such as Trustif are essential in fighting against such attacks. Trustif integrates AI, natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning technologies to identify and block malicious emails from entering an organization’s network.

The significance of phishing emails as a threat to organizations

Phishing attacks are an ongoing issue for organizations of all sizes as they often serve as an entry point for more serious security breaches. According to the FBI, phishing scams accumulated costs of over $4.2 billion between 2013 and 2020. Notably, phishing emails are often the initial point of attack before a more serious data breach occurs.

Case Study: Impersonation of Facebook in a Phishing Email

In one of the phishing emails discovered by researchers, the threat actor impersonated Facebook to gain access to a target’s login credentials. The email appeared to be legitimate, using the same logos, font, and layout as Facebook’s official email communications. Upon analysis, however, the researchers discovered that the email consisted of AI-generated text.

The discovery of AI-generated text in phishing emails raises safety concerns

The AI-generated text in phishing emails complicates security efforts as it can be challenging to discern between AI-generated and human-written emails. The use of chatbots or robotic voices for impersonation further complicates matters since AI-powered voices sound increasingly human-like.

The use of platforms like ChatGPT in generating convincing phishing emails and malware is concerning

Malicious actors can use language models like ChatGPT and Google Bard to generate convincing phishing emails that are difficult to distinguish from legitimate emails. AI-generated text can also be used for other kinds of cyberattacks, such as creating dangerous malware designed to infiltrate an organization’s network.

The emergence of vendor fraud through false invoices

Vendor fraud is another kind of cybercrime that has emerged, involving the creation of fraudulent invoices. Malicious actors use these invoices to trick companies into transferring funds or paying for fake products or services.

As sound technology continues to advance, cybercrime is also evolving and becoming much more sophisticated. As demonstrated by the new phishing email campaign that researchers uncovered, AI-based phishing attacks pose a significant threat to organizations. It’s crucial that organizations remain vigilant and take proactive measures to protect themselves. By investing in AI and machine learning-based security solutions, they can stay one step ahead of malicious actors and protect their sensitive data from harm.

Explore more

Unlock Success with the Right CRM Model for Your Business

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, maintaining a loyal customer base is more challenging than ever, with countless tools and platforms vying for attention behind the scenes in marketing, sales, and customer service. Delivering consistent, personalized care to every client can feel like an uphill battle when juggling multiple systems and data points. This is where customer relationship management (CRM) steps

7 Steps to Smarter Email Marketing and Tech Stack Success

In a digital landscape where billions of emails flood inboxes daily, standing out is no small feat, and despite the rise of social media and instant messaging, email remains a powerhouse, delivering an average ROI of $42 for every dollar spent, according to recent industry studies. Yet, countless brands struggle to capture attention, with open rates stagnating and conversions slipping.

Why Is Employee Retention Key to Boosting Productivity?

In today’s cutthroat business landscape, a staggering reality looms over companies across the United States: losing an employee costs far more than just a vacant desk, and with turnover rates draining resources and a tightening labor market showing no signs of relief, businesses are grappling with an unseen crisis that threatens their bottom line. The hidden cost of replacing talent—often

How to Hire Your First Employee for Business Growth

Hiring the first employee represents a monumental shift for any small business owner, marking a transition from solo operations to building a team. Picture a solopreneur juggling endless tasks—client calls, invoicing, marketing, and product delivery—all while watching opportunities slip through the cracks due to a sheer lack of time. This scenario is all too common, with many entrepreneurs stretching themselves

Is Corporate Espionage the New HR Tech Battleground?

What happens when the very tools designed to simplify work turn into battlegrounds for corporate betrayal? In a stunning clash between two HR tech powerhouses, Rippling and Deel, a lawsuit alleging corporate espionage has unveiled a shadowy side of the industry. With accusations of data theft and employee poaching flying, this conflict has gripped the tech world, raising questions about