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Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is redefining the cybersecurity landscape. Its ability to manipulate us makes it a powerful tool for orchestrating social engineering attacks.

 

GenAI and Social Engineering

From mining an individual’s digital footprint to creating highly convincing spear phishing emails, GenAI significantly raises the bar in terms of creating convincing attacks.

 

The Real Impact of GenAI

Recently, a case showed how a finance worker in Hong Kong transferred $25 million tricked by a deepfake version of the CFO in a video conference call. These attacks are no longer purely theoretical and show us that we can no longer blindly trust what we see and hear.

 

The Need to Get Back to Basics

We must go back to the basics. Social engineering is based on psychology and pressuring the victim to make a decision. We must flag any form of communication (email, call, chat or video) that imparts a sense of urgency and makes an unusual request, do not respond immediately, and subject it to a rigorous verification process.

 

Adapting to the GenAI Era

In the era of Generative Artificial Intelligence, we must adapt and evolve security training to keep up with new threats. GenAI is changing the way we protect ourselves.

Organizations and individuals must understand the implications of GenAI and prepare for these new threats. This means fostering a strong safety culture that prioritizes education and awareness.

Finally, security training must be continuous, able to respond to the changing tactics of attackers. In the era of GenAI, we all have a role to play in protecting our information and systems.