By Anup Prakash and Yogesh Lotlikar
Artificial intelligence ( AI ) is turning the tables by revolutionizing businesses with automated operations, enhanced decision-making, and enhanced customer support. However, this innovative systems has a negative aspect. Cybercriminals are extremely utilizing artificial intelligence to create phony content, launch automated attacks, and develop stealth malware. AI-based cyber threats are growing more quickly than security measures you stop, which poses major challenges for both consumers and businesses. Contrary to typical malware, AI enables cybercriminals to create sophisticated and flexible attacks.
In the age of AI, not only end-consumers, but perhaps businesses are facing unanticipated cyberattacks. Be it their daily activities, machines and collection, or even customer support facilities, cybercriminals are developing new tactics to cripple business businesses and since, even government bodies.
DDOS Problems to TDOS episodes
Prior to now, cyber criminals used to launch DDOS attacks, which had encircle a server or network and force it to be inaccessible to current or prospective website users.
More recently, DDoS has evolved to destroy voice-calling techniques. Also known as , Telephone Denial of Service ( TDoS), it is becoming increasingly difficult, especially for companies where communication is essential, including care, financing, and emergency services that make a phone system accessible by overwhelming it with calls. During TDoS attacks, telephone lines are overwhelmed with mechanical calls, leaving genuine contacts out of the question. Call-blocking systems can’t tell the difference between legitimate and spam calling because these attacks are so difficult to spot.
According to Cybersecurity Ventures, world economic losses due to TDoS problems exceed$ 5.2 billion annually. Voice Channel AI Disruption (VCAD), a variant of TDOS attack, uses voice-based security features to pass low-volume AI calls. AI-enabled VCAD attacks can disrupt the efficiency of these safety features, possibly causing economic losses, and reputational damage, and even putting lives at risk during emergencies. Through AI-powered voice cloning, it is possible for hackers to hack into secured accounts and systems and bypass voice recognition systems. This is the most dangerous for businesses that use voice authentication for customer authentication.
Anup Prakash, Director and Founder, Aekot Consulting says,” Artificial intelligence ( AI ) is transforming industries, driving efficiency, and fostering innovation. Cybercriminals are also using AI to launch more sophisticated attacks, though. Users are tricked into revealing sensitive data by AI-powered phishing, which results in highly convincing emails. According to Boston Consulting Group, 72 % of firms faced AI-driven phishing in 2024. AI-driven malware can autonomously adapt to bypass cybersecurity defenses, while machine learning enhances brute-force attacks, reducing password-cracking time from months to hours. Another alarming threat is the use of fake technology: employees have been tricked into paying off millions of dollars by fraud.
A growing threat is also a deepfake fraud. Attackers create highly realistic videos and audio impersonations of public figures or business executives using sophisticated AI algorithms. Later, these fictitious documents are used to deceive customers into buying them, leaking sensitive information, or making disastrous business decisions. According to a report by Deeptrace, scams related to deepfakes grew from 7, 964 in 2020 to more than 14, 678 by 2022, with financial organizations and government organizations being top targets.
Furthermore, AI-driven phishing is becoming increasingly effective. Use enormous datasets to create highly successful, highly personalized emails or phone calls. According to a 2023 IBM Security research, AI-generated phishing emails have a 67 % higher success rate than traditional phishing assaults. At the same time, machine learning-powered automated hacking tools can scan systems for vulnerabilities up to 50 % quicker than human hackers, resulting in more breaches and quicker exploitation. While earlier, high-volume phishing calls were the modus operandi, more recently, cyber criminals have devised low-volume, high-duration AI-generated calls, effectively impersonating almost anyone, enabling a new wave of scams both for businesses and end-customers.
These AI-driven threats are becoming increasingly sinister, targeting not just malware, deepfakes, and phishing, but also the critical communication channels that keep our societies running. We’re seeing a disturbing trend of cybercriminals using AI-powered strategies to disrupt essential services, including the rise of Telephone Denial of Service ( TDoS ) attacks that can stymie businesses by overwhelming their phone systems. When communication is the lifeblood of industries like healthcare, finance, and emergency services, these AI-enhanced disruptions pose a real and present danger to our operational stability and security.
Anup adds,” McKinsey estimates cyberattack damages will reach$ 10.5 trillion annually by 2025, fueled in part by AI-enabled threats. To counteract this, businesses must invest in AI-driven threat detection, train employees in cybersecurity awareness, and foster collaboration between industry leaders and policymakers. AI’s potential is immense, but its misuse poses significant risks. It is crucial to address these issues in order to secure a secure digital future.
How Can Individuals and Businesses Safeguard Themselves?
Businesses must use AI-driven cybersecurity tools to detect and respond to advanced attacks in order to effectively combat AI and combat emerging threats.
For individuals, implementing good cybersecurity habits can reduce the likelihood of being targeted by AI-powered cyberattacks:
Utilize complex, one-of-a-kind passwords for various accounts. Activate multi-factor authentication whenever available. Be cautious of shady emails, messages, or phone calls—even so-called calls or messages that seem to be from known contacts.
AI-driven crimes require enhanced cybersecurity practices, which can be achieved through:
By implementing policies that encourage collaboration and information sharing among businesses, the government and regulatory bodies play a crucial role in reducing AI-driven crimes.
Policies should also encourage the development of AI-related threat detection and mitigation strategies. Cybercrime organizations frequently span across countries, requiring global cooperation. Global collaboration can help in locating, capturing, and prosecuting cybercriminals who exploit AI technologies for unlawful purposes. As artificial intelligence progresses, so too will the tactics of cybercriminals. Cybersecurity experts must stay current with these rapidly expanding markets.
” AI is revolutionizing cybersecurity—but not just for the good guys. Cybercriminals are using deepfake videos and voice cloning to launch social engineering attacks, create highly convincing phishing emails, and use AI to create highly convincing malware that adapts like a chameleon. Even the most cautious individuals are easier to deceive due to these AI-driven threats. To fight back, businesses must adopt a multi-layered security approach. AI-powered intrusion detection, anomaly detection, and automated threat response can help identify and neutralize attacks in real-time. Strong cybersecurity hygiene—like multi-factor authentication, regular software updates, and phishing awareness training—is equally essential. Additionally, expert security assessments, including penetration testing and risk evaluations, can expose vulnerabilities before hackers do. As AI-powered cyberattacks grow more sophisticated, staying proactive is crucial. By combining technology, education, and robust security infrastructure, businesses can outmaneuver cybercriminals and protect their valuable assets”. says Yogesh Lotlikar, Senior Pre Sales Consultant, Vcom Technologies.
( The authors are Anup Prakash, Director and Founder, Aekot Consulting and Yogesh Lotlikar, Senior Pre Sales Consultant, Vcom Technologies, and the views expressed in this article are their own )