Many professionals, students, and others are now utilizing AI tools to make their jobs and studies easier, whether it’s to proofread an email or draft a full-length thesis paper. But don’t think the darker corners of the internet haven’t caught on. Yes, they have AI too.
Keep reading to find out how hackers use AI and how you can defend yourself.
Three Ways Hackers and Scammers Are Using AI
Here are some of the most common – and dangerous – ways that AI is being used for hacking and scamming attempts.
Deepfakes and Voice Cloning
While most AI-fueled hacking is “more of the same,” there is one very new – and very scary – application. And that’s the ability to fake images, videos, and voices.
For instance, in one case, a finance worker attended a video conference where every one of his coworkers, including his chief financial officers, were actually deepfake replications. The company was scammed out of $25 million before the error was discovered.
Cloning a person’s voice – whether it’s yours, your boss’s, or a family member’s – is even easier.
How to avoid:
- Independently verify messages you receive
Do your due diligence to confirm that any message involving requests for money, sensitive data, or account access is legitimate. That voice or video call from your boss or a relative asking for a money transfer? Verify it through another channel. - Don’t assume that voice-locked devices or software are secure
Spoofing your voice or face used to be difficult. Now it’s relatively easy and accessible. Keep this in mind when evaluating your security setup.
Targeted Phishing
Phishing is a classic tactic of hackers and scammers. The goal is to trick you into providing sensitive information, like usernames and passwords, through fake emails, login pages, and similar methods.
This threat is even more dangerous now because of how hackers use AI to personalize these attacks. AI can scan your online presence and generate targeted “spear phishing” messages that include your name, job title, company, and other specific details.
How to avoid:
Stick with proven phishing prevention strategies, but be even more cautious than before.
- Don’t assume professional-looking communication is legitimate
Before you reply, click a link, or enter any login info, confirm the message is real. Just because it looks polished doesn’t mean it’s safe. - Double-check the source of emails and websites
For instance, make sure that email from Amazon was sent from a verified address and that the link goes to the real Amazon.com. When in doubt, manually type the URL into your browser rather than use an email link. - Enable phishing filters and anti-phishing tools
Don’t rely solely on your own judgment. Let your browser, email service, or security software help by turning on their phishing protection features.
Password Cracking
Brute-forcing passwords is another common hacker tactic. But how hackers use AI here makes this threat even more dangerous.
Instead of just guessing combinations at random, AI can analyze patterns, user behavior, and probability to make more accurate guesses. It combines data analysis with computing power to crack passwords faster and more efficiently.
How to avoid:
The standard password safety advice still holds up – it’s just more important than ever.
- Enable multi-factor authentication
- Use strong, unique passwords
- Don’t reuse passwords
- Store passwords securely
For more, see our article on How to Use Passwords and Not Be Hacked.
How Hackers Are Using AI: Wrap-Up
From deepfakes to targeted phishing and smarter password cracking, how hackers use AI is evolving fast. But with awareness and a few smart steps, you can stay one step ahead. These threats may be more sophisticated, but they’re not impossible to defend against – as long as you stay alert and informed.