90% of digital hacks are powered by artificial intelligence

The Cyber ​​Security Council of the UAE Government confirmed that artificial intelligence technologies and its various applications have radically reshaped fraud practices and methods, as complex tasks are now being carried out within a few seconds, which increases the risks of electronic fraud, especially fraud based on artificial intelligence, which requires enhancing awareness about the methods of this type of fraud.

He explained that these technologies increase the complexity associated with detecting electronic fraud, as artificial intelligence techniques work to make fraudulent operations appear real by faking votes and changing logos to appear official, in addition to transforming words and designs to appear perfect, formulating the fraud process in the form of urgent security requests, and making the links used in fraudulent operations appear authentic, amid a noticeable acceleration in the pace of fraud supported by modern technologies.

He also confirmed that phishing supported by artificial intelligence contributes to more than 90% of digital hacking operations, as fraudsters have begun to create messages that appear to be 100% reliable, especially as they use these advanced technologies to remove the usual warning signs to design fraudulent operations that are almost free of discoverable loopholes.

The Council warned users to always be careful before clicking on any electronic links, and to verify any advertising advertisements or the source of any messages that include links, personal or financial information, or disclose specific information.

He pointed out the growing confusion between truth and imitation with the expansion of the use of artificial intelligence, which puts users facing complex challenges in confronting fraud, and requires everyone to adopt defensive tools and techniques based on knowledge and awareness, understand the magnitude of the risks inherent in this new type of practice, and enhance capabilities to provide additional layers of protection against attempts to seize accounts, or use fake identities, achieve faster detection, higher accuracy, and reduce misleading alerts, enhance the integrity of payments, adopt artificial intelligence solutions to determine investigation priorities, and improve the ability to track high-risk cases, despite the challenges related to resources and budgets.

He stressed that ways to confront this type of phishing and electronic fraud begin with the individual by enhancing cyber culture and awareness of the risks associated with artificial intelligence technologies when used by fraudsters in fraudulent operations, and the importance of the individual realizing that some products on social media appear, with this type of fraudulent operation, to be exaggeratedly ideal, thanks to the images that artificial intelligence creates as if they are real, as fraudsters seek to mislead the public on an unprecedented scale, and the matter may turn into a complete fraud, which requires the individual to remain constantly vigilant.

The Council provided a set of tips to avoid falling victim to fraud supported by artificial intelligence, especially avoiding clicking on unreliable links, looking for spelling and linguistic errors in any phishing messages, in addition to verifying the information contained in any fraudulent message from official or reliable channels, activating double authentication that prevents more than 90% of fraudulent attempts, and activating protection programs to remove threats and protect against viruses.

He stressed that electronic safety in cyberspace has become a major challenge, and that these preventive measures contribute to government efforts made to confront current digital challenges related to artificial intelligence technologies and rapid digital developments.

The Cyber ​​Pulse awareness campaign launched by the Cyber ​​Security Council in its second year comes within the framework of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to build a secure cyberspace that protects users from growing digital risks, and keeps pace with rapid technical developments within a comprehensive national vision to enhance confidence in the country’s digital system, enhance the culture of cybersecurity to raise the level of digital awareness among families and individuals, and enhance cybersecurity practices to ensure the safety and privacy of citizens and residents in the era of accelerating digital transformation.