How Will Hacking Evolve, and What Can We Do to Prepare?

(DailyDig.com) – The future of technology swiftly approaches, and there are serious questions about whether humanity is truly prepared for its arrival. Intelligence experts now say advances in hacking will dramatically change the cybercrime landscape, making intrusion attempts and ransomware attacks harder to fight. Yet, there’s plenty of evidence to show those very same advancements could usher in an era of improved protective measures, too.

The integration and explosion of AI-based algorithms is expected to become a key contributor to these shifts. If human-directed attacks start failing to produce results, hackers will leverage AI to subvert traditional protective measures and automate the entire process.

Here’s why that’s such a serious concern.

AI can move through a network or system at an unprecedented rate, rooting out vulnerabilities far faster than any human ever could. They’re also far less prone to making the kinds of mistakes traditional security platforms rely on for detection along the way.

This concept isn’t new, either. While fully AI-based attacks aren’t here just yet, automation certainly is. Cybercriminals responsible for the NotPetya attack in 2017 used automated processes to swarm major organizations — including government entities — all across the world. It was remarkably effective even in the face of defense measures.

These kinds of programs are essentially a precursor for what’s to come.

Still, there is some good news: Researchers suspect the same advancements might end up helping security and intelligence specialists form new defenses. Just as attacks strengthen, so, too, will our ability to respond to them.

Foreign Affairs: The U.S. must invest in AI to protect critical infrastructure from cybercriminals and state-sponsored hackers.https://t.co/BAYFL2BtEd #privacy #cybersecurity

— TDK Technologies (@TDKTechnologies) December 10, 2021

What does this mean for the average individual? Now more than ever, you should strive to protect your data anytime you’re operating in an online space. Use 16- to 32-digit passwords, keep critical software (such as Windows or MacOS) updated, and stay skeptical of any site, entity or email that asks you for your personal information.