Artificial Intelligence & Cybersecurity | The Double Edge Sword
Artificial Intelligence in cybersecurity truly acts as a double-edged sword, empowering defenders to protect online assets, while also arming attackers with new methods for deception. On the one hand, AI is enhancing digital defenses by enabling rapid threat detection, smarter vulnerability assessments, and automated incident response, making it far harder for cybercriminals to succeed unnoticed. However, the same technology is making cyberattacks like phishing, fake calls, and deepfakes more convincing and frequent, putting even the most vigilant digital citizens at risk.
How you can protect yourself from artificial intelligence-powered scams:
In order to protect yourself from AI-powered scams, you should always have a blend of awareness, skepticism, and practical thinking. Keep yourself up to date on the latest scams so you can avoid falling victim. Be cautious of emails or links that claim something is "urgent". Be wary of things that come unsolicited from unknown senders.
Strengthen Your Authentication
- Set up MFA (multi-factor authentication) on every account where it is an option. MFA is a method that allows you to verify your identity when logging into an online account. It usually requires proof of identity (a pin sent to a verified email or a code texted to a trusted phone number.)
- Use unique and strong passwords. A good rule of thumb is to change you password every 90 days. Store all passwords in a password manager, ideally one with MFA, to help you keep track of them. A password manager is an app or software that safely stores all your passwords in one place. It acts as a secure "digital vault" for your login credentials.
Be Wary of Who is Calling You
- Don’t rely on caller ID alone. If someone calls claiming to be from a company, take your time before trusting them. If anything feels off, hang up and contact the company directly using the phone number listed on their official website to confirm legitimacy.
- AI-powered voice-cloning and deepfake scams are on the rise. A deepfake is a type of synthetic media created using AI. It uses real photos, audio and video of a person to generate highly realistic content of that person. This allows scammers to digitally manipulate a person to do and say things that never actually happened. If you get a call from an unknown number that sounds like a "family member" asking for money, hang up and call them back from their known number.
Spotting AI-Powered Phishing
- Always be skeptical of emails or texts that create a sense of urgency anywhere in the subject or body ("act now or lose access" or "urgent please respond now"). Scammers love to use urgency as a tool to scam people because it hijacks your decision-making process. When you feel rushed, your brain shifts into "fight or flight" mode and you're less likely to pause and think about the situation.
- Never click on links or download attachments before verifying that they are coming from a trusted source. Make sure you recognize the email address or phone number of the sender. It is always a good idea to contact the company or sender through a different method to confirm the legitimacy (never through the number/email provided in the suspicious message).
Stay in the know
- Make sure to regularly participate in cybersecurity trainings to stay vigilant against rapidly evolving AI-driven scams. Listen to trusted sources like government agencies. Be sure to read the content from your advisor/financial companies. Attend informational webinars to hear from accredited individuals on the latest scams and break throughs. Register for our upcoming "Savvy Cybersecurity" Webinar on Wednesday, October 15th 2025 at 6:00pm (EST).
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How artificial intelligence is helping to secure environments online:
While AI can produce some of the most convincing scams, it also can be used as one of the strongest tools to help keep people safe online. It can help with threat detections and prevention, detect harmful viruses, and analyze patterns to help prevent data breaches.
Threat Prevention and Detection
- AI can scan billions of data points in real time to spot suspicious activity quickly before they cause harm. An example of this would be detecting unusual login attempts from a new location and flagging it before your account is hacked.
Analyze patterns
- Artificial intelligence powers advanced tools that scan for system vulnerabilities, allowing organizations to address weak spots faster and more accurately than ever before.
- It can also analyze patterns of user and network behavior to spot signs of data breaches or hacking attempts, often stopping attacks in real time.
Malware & Virus Detection
- While traditional antivirus relies on known threats, AI-based security tools can spot brand-new, never-seen-before malware by recognizing unusual behavior on your device.
Staying informed about the ever-evolving worlds of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity is no longer optional, it’s essential. As AI continues to bring powerful tools that boost efficiency, creativity, and protection, it also introduces new risks such as data breaches, deepfakes, and sophisticated cyberattacks. Keeping up with these advancements helps individuals and businesses make smarter, safer choices, allowing them to leverage technology’s benefits while staying vigilant against its potential pitfalls. Knowledge isn’t just power in this space, it’s protection.