January 24, 2024 at 01:34AM
The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) suggests that by 2025, AI could significantly enhance attackers’ tools, making malware harder to detect and enabling quicker identification of valuable data for extortion. The report warns of increased cyber attacks, predicts AI’s widespread use by cyber criminals, and emphasizes the need to manage its risks.
From the meeting notes, the key takeaways are:
1. AI has the potential to generate super-potent and undetectable malware by 2025, particularly when trained on quality exploit data.
2. Sophisticated attackers, including highly capable states, are likely to be the first to benefit from the most effective generative AI tools, potentially leading to more advanced cyber attacks.
3. AI is expected to assist in discovering vulnerable devices, conducting real-time data analysis, and aiding in cyber operations, with highly capable state actors being best positioned to benefit from its sophisticated use by 2025.
4. Over the next four years, cyber criminals, including those using social engineering tactics, are expected to benefit from the wide-scale uptake of AI tools, leading to more polished and plausible cyber attacks.
5. The use of AI by ransomware gangs is likely to result in more effective data extortion attempts, with the potential for targeting valuable data and developing proprietary tools.
6. The volume and impact of cyber attacks are projected to increase over the next two years, driven by AI innovations.
7. The report also emphasizes the need to manage the risks of AI technology and provides advice for organizations and individuals to strengthen their cyber defenses and resilience to cyber attacks.
The notes also mention ongoing efforts to manage AI’s risks, such as the AI Safety Summit and the Bletchley Declaration, aiming to ensure responsible development and testing of AI. However, it is noted that these initiatives may not yet have strong legal backing.