- Artificial intelligence continues to play dual role in cybersecurity
- Lumma Stealer rises 1,154%, marking another new high for malware
- Outdated systems remain vulnerable to ransomware attacks
in its latest Threat Report Q3 2024Gen highlights alarming trends that reveal the increasing sophistication of cyber threats and highlights the dual role of artificial intelligence that is becoming apparent as cybercriminals refine their methods.
While AI can be weaponized to enhance attacks through the proliferation of realistic deepfakes and highly convincing phishing campaigns, AI tools can also serve as important defense mechanisms.
As cyber threats become more sophisticated and difficult to detect, awareness and proactive measures are critical to protecting sensitive information.
Social engineering tactics take center stage
Cybercriminals are increasingly using social engineering tactics to trick millions of people into compromising their security. Compared to the previous quarter, there was a 614% increase in “self-deception attacks,” which use psychological manipulation to trick individuals into unintentionally installing malware on their own devices.
Attackers will use fake tutorials shared on popular platforms, such as Youtube Claims to provide free access to paid software, attracting users to follow the instructions. However, the victim inadvertently downloaded the malicious program.
Another tactic, known as ClickFix scams, deceives victims by offering false technical solutions and then instructs users to copy and paste malicious code into a command prompt, thus unknowingly empowering the attacker. control over their systems.
Likewise, fake CAPTCHA prompts disguised as standard verification steps prompt users to paste harmful code into their systems. Fake updates disguised as basic software updates are sent to users who have installed the malware, pretending to gain administrative rights after installation.
Data-stealing malware and ransomware increased, with information stealers increasing by 39%. For example, Lumma Stealer’s activity increased by 1154%.
Ransomware attacks have also surged, with the risk ratio increasing by 100%, with Magniber ransomware leading these attacks by exploiting unpatched software to gain access. Outdated systems, e.g. Windows 7remains particularly vulnerable, but Gen has partnered with governments to release free decryption tools, such as the Avast Mallox ransomware decryptor.
Data-stealing malware attacks on mobile devices have also increased, with a 166% increase in the third quarter of 2024. A new spyware called NGate has emerged, capable of cloning bank card information to withdraw funds or conduct unauthorized transactions. At the same time, banking malware such as Rocinante increased by 60%, and new variants such as TrickMo and Octo2 also emerged.
In terms of delivery, malicious text messages are still the main delivery method. Telemetry from Norton Genie shows that SMS scams (malicious SMS scams) accounted for 16.5% of observed attacks, followed by lottery scams (12%) and phishing emails/SMS (9.6%).