AI is extremely popular among companies looking for quick content, whether it be written or creative. AI can generate written pieces, art, and social media posts in as little as a few seconds. Previously, the requested content would on occasion be nonsensical, but now AI can write with new perfection.
As time goes on, AI will only become better. Soon, a few recognizable mistakes will turn into seamless work every time. Cybercriminals use this tool for nearly undetectable phishing. To better understand how cybercriminals use AI, here’s a deep dive into AI and how it works.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
AI is short for Artificial Intelligence. AI simulates intelligence as seen in humans by using information pulled from a database. AI may seem as though it can think just like a human, but it is just reiterating information from the database it has access to.
While it may seem as though AI can write full-fledged papers, articles, and blog posts on a wide variety of topics, this is just perception. AI can only combine the knowledge available to it. Currently, AI can write as well as a human in any language you request. This is how cybercriminals can use it to phish better than ever.
How Do Cybercriminals Use AI?
Cybercriminals have started using AI to make phishing emails that are likely to fool even the most seasoned employee. In the past, if a phishing attempt made its way into your inbox, one might be able to determine the email was malicious by noticing grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. AI-written phishing attempts are fooling people more than ever. It is imperative to use multiple approaches to check if an email is legitimate.
How to Best Recognize a Phishing Attempt
Even if an email seems legitimate, it never hurts to do the following checks.
- Hover your mouse over the sender’s email address and check for misspellings or unrecognizable addresses. Sometimes the email will be a letter or two off to trick you.
- An unexpected request could be a sign of a phishing attempt. If you receive an unexpected request, call the person requesting the information to confirm they are the sender.
- Avoid requests to enter personal information by clicking a link. If you receive an email asking you to do this, never click on anything without going directly to the website and checking your account online first. If you can, call the company to confirm as well.
- Ignore one-time special offers or emails announcing you’re a winner. Cybercriminals frequently try to steal information using this tactic.
- Emails with attachments from someone you don’t know could contain malicious software. Avoid clicking on anything in the email and delete it.
If you need help protecting your business from phishing, contact Computek at 512-869-1155 or book a 15-minute discovery call here!