Identity has become malleable for cyber attackers

"Cyber attackers today have a pervasive psychological dimension. Sancho, who has been with TrendAI (previously known as Trend Micro) for twenty years, sees that the toolbox for attackers has become very diverse. It is almost a cliché to say that cyber attackers no longer just hack systems, instead logging in as if they were a legitimate users. They regularly do so with information obtained through convincing phishing emails or on the dark web."

"Sancho emphasizes that affordable tools can create convincing deepfakes for extortion. They were once a niche, he says, but can now be used to fabricate specific identities. Voice phishing is 'extremely mature' and costs almost nothing for malicious actors to set up. In a study conducted in the middle of last year, TrendAI already showed how much freedom of choice attackers have in this regard."

Cyber attackers now employ sophisticated psychological tactics beyond traditional hacking, including convincing deepfakes, voice phishing, and extortion using personal information. Attackers gain access by impersonating legitimate users through phishing emails or dark web data rather than exploiting software vulnerabilities. Advanced AI tools enable affordable creation of convincing deepfakes and voice mimicry in seconds, making these attack methods accessible at scale. Voice phishing has become extremely mature and costs attackers minimal resources to execute. While deepfakes and synthetic media were once niche techniques, they now represent significant organizational risks. Organizations must recognize that identity is malleable in the digital landscape, requiring defense strategies beyond traditional cybersecurity measures.

Read at Techzine Global