British intelligence agency issues major alert: Accelerated AI advancement to result in surge of cyberattacks
The rapid development of new artificial intelligence tools is increasing cyber attacks and lowering the barriers for less sophisticated hackers to carry out digital harm, Britain’s spy agency GCHQ warned on Wednesday.
This lower barrier to entry is also likely to contribute to a global increase in ransomware attacks, where criminals encrypt computer systems for digital ransom, GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) said in a report.
“Artificial intelligence will almost certainly increase the number and impact of cyber attacks over the next two years. However, the impact on cyber threats will be uneven,” the report states.
It suggested that the biggest increase in the capabilities of malicious actors in cyberspace would go to opportunistic hackers who may not have the skills to carry out higher-level attacks.
According to the report, at least the use of generative AI tools such as chatbots can help create more convincing emails or documents used in online phishing campaigns.
At an advanced level, more effective state-sponsored hackers were “best placed to harness the potential of artificial intelligence in sophisticated cyber operations against networks, for example using advanced malware creation,” the report said, referring to malware and computer viruses.
Intelligence agencies around the world are grappling with a rise in potential security issues surrounding algorithms that can create human-sounding interactions — called large language models, or LLMs — such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which companies incorporate into a wide range of services, including sales and customer service.
The security effects of artificial intelligence are still the focus of attention. Authorities in Britain, the United States and Canada have said they have seen hackers adopt the technology.
