Artificial intelligence is everywhere, and unfortunately that includes criminal toolkits. Attackers are using AI to write convincing phishing emails in seconds, to generate and adapt malicious code, and to find weaknesses faster.

What's changed

The barrier to entry has dropped. Attacks that once needed skilled developers can now be assembled by people with far less expertise. Phishing emails no longer give themselves away with poor spelling. Malware can be tweaked quickly to slip past tools that rely on recognising known threats.

What still works

The good news: the defences that stop AI-built attacks are largely the same ones that stop everything else, done properly.

  • Behaviour-based detection. Modern endpoint detection looks at what software does, not just what it looks like, so new variants still get caught.
  • Multi-factor authentication. A perfect phishing email is far less useful if a stolen password isn't enough to get in.
  • 24/7 monitoring. Ransomware operators favour nights and weekends. Someone needs to be watching.
  • Tested, independent backups. If the worst happens, you recover rather than pay.
  • Trained people. Regular phishing simulations keep staff sharp as the scams improve.

Where to start

If you're not sure how your business would stand up, take our 5-minute health check. It'll show you where the gaps are.