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'Weaponized AI' could be the biggest security threat facing your business 
this year - here's what experts say you should be on the lookout for

Date:
Sat, 24 Jan 2026 17:05:00 +0000

Description:
AI-driven cybercrime is escalating rapidly, combining phishing, deepfakes, 
and Dark LLMs, forcing businesses to strengthen defences and monitoring
systems.

FULL STORY

Artificial intelligence is now used by cybercriminals to automate fraud, 
scale phishing campaigns, and industrialize impersonation at a level that was
previously impractical. 

Unfortunately, AI-assisted attacks could be among the biggest security 
threats your business faces this year, but staying aware and acting promptly
can keep you a step ahead. 

Group-IBs Weaponized AI report shows the growing use of AI by criminals
represents a distinct fifth wave of cybercrime, driven by the commercial
availability of AI tools rather than isolated experimentation.

Rise in AI-driven cybercrime activity

Evidence from dark web monitoring shows that AI-related cybercrime activity 
is not a short-term response to new technologies. 

Group-IB says first-time dark web posts referencing AI-related keywords
increased by 371% between 2019 and 2025. The most pronounced acceleration
followed the public release of ChatGPT in late 2022, after which interest
levels remained persistently high.

By 2025, tens of thousands of forum discussions each year referenced AI
misuse, indicating a stable underground market rather than experimental
curiosity. 

Group-IB analysts identified at least 251 posts explicitly focused on large
language model exploitation, with most references linked to OpenAI-based
systems. 

A structured AI crimeware economy has emerged, with at least three vendors
offering self-hosted Dark LLMs without safety restrictions. Subscription
prices range from $30 to $200 per month, with some vendors claiming more than
1,000 users.

One of the fastest-growing segments is impersonation services, with mentions
of deepfake tools linked to identity verification bypass rising by 233% year
on year. Entry-level synthetic identity kits are sold for as little as $5,
while real-time deepfake platforms cost between $1,000 and $10,000.

Group-IB recorded 8,065 deepfake-enabled fraud attempts at a single
institution between January and August 2025, with verified global losses
reaching $347 million. 

AI-assisted malware and API abuse have grown sharply, with AI-generated
phishing now embedded in malware-as-a-service platforms and remote access
tools. 

Experts warn that AI-powered attacks can bypass traditional defenses unless
teams continuously monitor and update systems. Networks need protection from
firewalls that can identify unusual traffic and AI-generated phishing attempts.

With appropriate endpoint protection , companies can detect suspicious
activity before malware or remote access tools spread. 

Rapid and adaptive malware removal remains critical because AI-enabled 
attacks can execute and propagate faster than standard methods can respond. 
Combined with a layered security approach and anomaly detection, these
measures help stop intrusions such as deepfake calls, cloned voices, and fake
login attempts. 

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/weaponized-ai-could-be-the-biggest-security-thre
at-facing-your-business-this-year-heres-what-experts-say-you-should-be-on-the-
lookout-for

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