The Dark Side of AI: Uses in Cybercrime
Impersonation Fraud & Deepfakes
AI enables sophisticated crime. Using AI, criminals can use “video actors” to impersonate individuals, making trust-based verification methods unreliable. This opens new avenues for multimillion-dollar executive and financial fraud.
Dark LLMs & Automated Scam Tools
As described in the Group-IB blog, self-hosted “Dark LLMs” (Large Language Models) are spreading rapidly in underground markets. These uncensored, crime-optimized AI models can generate phishing kits, scam scripts, and malicious code without safeguards, making it easier for criminals to launch attacks at scale.
AI-Powered Spam & Phishing
AI-driven spam tools can create hyper-personalized phishing messages, bypassing email spam filters and mimicking authentic emails with an unprecedented degree of accuracy. Malicious toolkits now embed AI for reconnaissance, exploitation, and code obfuscation, lowering the barrier for less-skilled attackers.
It is not hopeless, however. Bad actors are using AI solutions, but that same technology can be used to guard against and respond to cybercrime.
AI in Cybercrime Defense
Advanced Threat Detection
AI supports advanced threat detection by analyzing vast amounts of data to identify suspicious patterns and anomalies. This enables organizations to spot threats faster and more accurately than traditional methods.
Automated Incident Response
AI automates responses to cyber threats, prioritizing incidents and executing defensive actions in real time. This reduces response times and helps contain breaches before they escalate.
Predictive Threat Intelligence
AI enhances predictive threat intelligence, continuously monitoring for emerging risks and proactively identifying vulnerabilities. This allows defenders to stay ahead of attackers and strengthen their security posture.
Conclusion
AI is both a weapon and a shield in the world of cybersecurity. While it empowers criminals with new tools and tactics, it also equips defenders with smarter, faster, and more adaptive ways to protect organizations. The battle between attackers and defenders is evolving—and AI is at the center of it all.
Go deeper into your defense against cybercrime by reading “Securing M365 with ScubaGear: Diving into CISA’s Assessment Tool .”